Department of Agriculture 2023 – Federal Register Recent Federal Regulation Documents

The Animal and Plant Health Inspection Service is correcting a final rule that was published in the Federal Register on February 21, 2023. The rule established standards governing the humane handling, care, treatment, and transportation of birds, excluding birds bred for use in research, covered under the Animal Welfare Act. The final rule erroneously omitted a word from one paragraph in the amendatory text and included an inaccurate phrase in another paragraph of the amendatory text. This document corrects these errors and amends the regulations to add the appropriate wording.

The United States Department of Agriculture, Forest Service (``Forest Service''), is giving notice of its intent to prepare a supplemental environmental impact statement (SEIS) to the 2012 Clearwater National Forest Travel Planning Final Environmental Impact Statement for the Clearwater National Forest in the Nez Perce- Clearwater National Forests in Idaho. The SEIS will address travel plan compliance with Forest Plan standards for elk habitat and analyze a potential plan amendment for elk habitat effectiveness, apply the minimization criteria for National Forest System trails, and analyze the effects of designating the Fish Lake Trail for motor vehicle use.

FSIS is proposing to amend its regulations to define the conditions under which the labeling of meat, poultry, and egg products, as well as voluntarily-inspected products, may bear voluntary label claims indicating that the product is of United States origin. The Agency is taking this action to resolve consumer confusion surrounding current voluntary label claims related to the origin of FSIS-regulated products in the U.S. marketplace. Under this proposal, establishments would not need to include these claims on the label, but if they chose to include them, they would need to meet the requirements in this rule.

In accordance with the Paperwork Reduction Act of 1995, this notice announces the Animal and Plant Health Inspection Service's (APHIS') intention to request a revision to and extension of approval of an information collection associated with establishing credit accounts and the collection of user fees for certain reimbursable APHIS services.

In accordance with the Paperwork Reduction Act of 1995, this notice announces and requests comments on the intention of the Office of the Chief Information Officer (OCIO) to request approval for the continuation of the U.S. Department of Agriculture (USDA) Registration Form to Request Electronic Access Code information collection to allow USDA customers to securely and confidently share data and receive services electronically. Authority for obtaining information from customers is included in the Freedom to E-File Act, the Electronic Signatures in Global and National Commerce Act (E-SIGN), the E- Government Act of 2002, and the GRAMM-LEACH-BLILEY ACT. Customer information is collected through the USDA eAuthentication Service (eAuth), located at https://www.eauth.usda.gov. The USDA eAuth service provides both public citizens as well as Federal Government employees with a secure single sign-on capability for USDA applications, management of user credentials, and verification of identity, authorization, and electronic signatures. USDA's eAuth Service obtains customer information through an electronic self-registration process provided through the eAuth website. This voluntary online self- registration process and identity proofing process (either in-person at a USDA Service Center or online with national credit bureaus) enables USDA customers to obtain accounts as authorized users that will provide single sign-on capability, self-registration, and account management to access USDA Web applications and services via the internet.

This rule implements a recommendation from the Citrus Administrative Committee (Committee) to exempt pummelos from requirements prescribed under the Florida citrus marketing order. This change exempts pummelos from all requirements under the marketing order, including registration, assessment, and reporting requirements.

The U.S. Codex Office is sponsoring a public meeting on Tuesday, April 11, 2023, 1:00-4:00 p.m. EDT. The objective of the public meeting is to provide information and receive public comments on agenda items and draft U.S. positions to be discussed at the 47th Session of the Codex Committee on Food Labelling (CCFL) of the Codex Alimentarius Commission, which will meet in Gatineau, Canada, May 15- 19, 2023. The U.S. Manager for Codex Alimentarius and the Under Secretary for Trade and Foreign Agricultural Affairs recognize the importance of providing interested parties the opportunity to obtain background information on the 47th Session of the CCFL and to address items on the agenda.

This rule implements a recommendation from the Prune Marketing Committee (Committee) to increase the assessment rate established for the 2022-23 crop year. The assessment rate will remain in effect indefinitely unless modified, suspended, or terminated.

The Agricultural Marketing Service (AMS) proposes to revise the United States Standards for Grades of Processed Raisins. AMS is proposing to modify two references to the allowances for capstems within the standards to modernize the standards to reflect current industry practices. The proposal also includes minor editorial changes to table headings to align with updated Code of Federal Regulations (CFR) formatting requirements.

In accordance with the Paperwork Reduction Act of 1995 and the Office of Management and Budget (OMB) regulations, FSIS is announcing its intention to request renewal of the approved information collection regarding the procedures for notifying the Agency about new technology and requests for waivers. There are no changes to the existing information collection. The approval for this information collection will expire on June 30, 2023.

This decision proposes amendments to Marketing Order No. 984 (Order), which regulates the handling of walnuts grown in California, and provides growers with the opportunity to vote in a referendum to determine if they favor the changes. The California Walnut Board (Board), which locally administers the Order, recommended proposed amendments that would eliminate mandatory inspection and certification of inshell and shelled walnuts, and of shelled walnuts for processing; create a new mechanism for determining and collecting handler assessments; add authority to charge interest for late payments; establish an assessment rate of $0.0125 per inshell pound of walnuts; expand the definition of ``to handle'' to include ``receive''; and remove volume control authority. In addition, the Agricultural Marketing Service (AMS) proposed to make any such changes to the Order as may be necessary to conform to any amendment that may result from the hearing.

We are advising the public that we are classifying eight Mexican regions for bovine tuberculosis as follows: The State of Sonora as Level II; the Yucat[aacute]n Peninsula region (States of Yucat[aacute]n and Quintana Roo, and part of the State of Campeche), the Huasteca region (parts of the States of Puebla, Veracruz, and Hidalgo), part of the State of Chihuahua, and part of the State of Durango as Level III; and part of the State of Coahuila, part of the State of Nuevo Le[oacute]n, and the State of Tamaulipas as Level IV. These recognitions are based on an evaluation we have prepared in connection with this action, which we made available for review and comment.

In accordance with the Paperwork Reduction Act of 1995, this notice announces the Animal and Plant Health Inspection Service's intention to request a revision to and extension of approval of an information collection associated with the Cooperative Agricultural Pest Survey.

The U.S. Codex Office is sponsoring a public meeting on March 27, 2023, from 1:00 p.m. to 4:00 p.m. EDT. The objective of the public meeting is to provide information and receive public comments on agenda items and draft U.S. positions to be discussed at the 16th Session of the Codex Committee on Contaminants in Foods (CCCF) of the Codex Alimentarius Commission, in Utrecht, Netherlands on April 18-21 (in person) and April 26, 2023 (virtual report adoption). The U.S. Manager for Codex Alimentarius and the Under Secretary for Trade and Foreign Agricultural Affairs recognize the importance of providing interested parties the opportunity to obtain background information on the 16th Session of the CCCF and to address items on the agenda.

The Rural Utilities Service (RUS), a Rural Development (RD) agency of the United States Department of Agriculture (USDA), is issuing a final rule with comment. The intent of this rule is to modify its coverage ratio requirements, add an additional set of ratios, and update and add definitions. The effect of this action is to reduce the regulatory impact on RUS Electric Program borrowers, ensure that loan funds will be repaid in the time agreed upon, facilitate the lending for construction of rural electric infrastructure, and allow RUS to focus on feasibility and security issues while increasing customer efficiency, customer satisfaction and service.

In accordance with the Paperwork Reduction Act of 1995, this notice announces a correction to the intention of the National Agricultural Statistics Service (NASS) to seek reinstatement of an information collection, the 2023 Irrigation and Water Management Survey.

In accordance with the Paperwork Reduction Act of 1995, this notice announces the Animal and Plant Health Inspection Service's intention to request an extension of approval of an information collection associated with accrediting nongovernment facilities to perform services related to the export of plants or plant products.

In accordance with the Paperwork Reduction Act of 1995 and the Office of Management and Budget (OMB) regulations, FSIS is announcing its intention to request renewal of the approved information collection regarding the voluntary destruction of imported meat, poultry, and egg products. There are no changes to the existing information collection. The approval for this information collection will expire on June 30, 2023.

In accordance with the Paperwork Reduction Act of 1995 and the Office of Management and Budget (OMB) regulations, FSIS is announcing its intention to request renewal of the approved information collection regarding the regulatory requirements associated with the production of meat from advanced meat recovery systems. There are no changes to the existing information collection. The approval for this information collection will expire on June 30, 2023.

This proposed rule would establish regulations for hunting and trapping seasons, harvest limits, and methods and means related to taking of wildlife for subsistence uses during the 2024-25 and 2025-26 regulatory years. The Federal Subsistence Board (Board) is on a schedule of completing the process of revising subsistence taking of wildlife regulations in even-numbered years and subsistence taking of fish and shellfish regulations in odd-numbered years; public proposal and review processes take place during the preceding year. The Board also addresses customary and traditional use determinations during the applicable cycle. When final, the resulting rulemaking will replace the existing subsistence wildlife taking regulations. This proposed rule could also amend the general regulations on subsistence taking of fish and wildlife.

In accordance with the Paperwork Reduction Act of 1995, this notice announces the Animal and Plant Health Inspection Service's intention to request a revision to and extension of approval of an information collection associated with the swine health protection program.

This proposed rule would implement a recommendation from the Cherry Industry Administrative Board (Board) to increase the assessment rate established for the 2022-23 and subsequent fiscal periods. The proposed assessment rate would remain in effect indefinitely unless modified, suspended, or terminated.