Department of Agriculture May 2024 – Federal Register Recent Federal Regulation Documents

We are amending the user fee regulations associated with the agricultural quarantine and inspection (AQI) program. Specifically, we are adjusting the fees for certain AQI services that are provided in connection with certain commercial vessels, commercial trucks, commercial railroad cars, commercial aircraft, and international passengers arriving at ports in the customs territory of the United States or precleared or preinspected at a site outside the customs territory of the United States; adjusting the caps on prepaid fees associated with commercial trucks and commercial railroad cars; and removing certain fee exemptions that are no longer justifiable based upon pathway analyses of risk. We are also revising requirements pertaining to remittances and statements. Specifically, we will require monthly rather than quarterly remittances for the commercial aircraft fee, international air passenger fee, and international cruise passenger fee, clarify our requirements, and provide for electronic payments and statements. We are also including in the regulations information on agents responsible for ensuring compliance with paying the user fees and the requirement for entities to notify the Animal and Plant Health Inspection Service in the event they have a change in personnel responsible for fee payments. These changes are necessary to recover the costs of the current level of AQI activity, to account for actual and projected increases in the cost of doing business, to increase fee payer accountability, and to more accurately align fees with the costs associated with each fee service.

The Forest Service, U.S. Department of Agriculture, is preparing an environmental impact statement to evaluate the potential environmental impacts associated with the Sweetwater Lake Recreation Management and Development Project. This project encompasses 832 acres, including 488 acres acquired by the Forest Service in 2021, located on the White River National Forest on lands surrounding Sweetwater Lake in northeastern Garfield County, Colorado. The Forest Service proposes to improve recreation access and facilities and authorize a long-term special use permit to the Colorado Parks and Wildlife to manage the area. This project may require an amendment to the White River National Forest Land and Resource Management Plan (forest plan).

NRCS is giving notice that it is proposing revisions to Section 1General Resource References of the Field Office Technical Guides in Louisiana and Wisconsin to include revised State Offsite Methods for Food Security Act Wetland Identification (SOSM). The proposed changes will replace the existing SOSMs in Louisianna and Wisconsin, which have been in use since June 2015 and October 2016. The revisions are needed to clarify procedures and improve consistency in application. SOSM are used in completing wetland determinations for USDA program eligibility purposes.

FSIS is announcing its final determination that not ready-to- eat (NRTE) breaded stuffed chicken products that contain Salmonella at levels of 1 Colony Forming Unit per gram (hereinafter, "1 CFU/g") or higher are adulterated within the meaning of the Poultry Products Inspection Act (PPIA). FSIS is also announcing that it intends to carry out verification procedures, including sampling and testing of the raw incoming chicken components used to produce NRTE breaded stuffed chicken products prior to stuffing and breading.

The Rural Business-Cooperative Service, Rural Housing Service, and Rural Utilities Service, agencies that comprise the Rural Development Mission Area within the United States Department of Agriculture, published a notice of solicitation of applications in the Federal Register on February 13, 2024, entitled "Notice of Solicitation of Applications (NOSA) for the Strategic Economic and Community Development Program for Fiscal Year (FY) 2024." The NOSA provides requirements to applicants submitting applications for Strategic Economic and Community Development (SECD) points through Secretary of Agriculture designated covered programs. Based on funding availability guidance published in the NOSA, this Correction Notice is issued to clarify that Community Facilities Grant Program funds will not be reserved for SECD in FY 2024. This Correction Notice also clarifies that approved USDA Rural Partners Network (RPN) networks are considered multi-jurisdictional entities for purposes of SECD and that community and economic development plans created in association with an RPN network will be accepted as plans under SECD.

The Rural Business-Cooperative Service, Rural Housing Service, and Rural Utilities Service (RBCS, RHS, RUS, or collectively referred to as the Agency), of the Rural Development (RD) mission area within the U.S. Department of Agriculture (USDA), is issuing this final rule to update the data it uses to determine a State's percentage of national nonmetropolitan unemployment income. The Agency is amending two regulations to correct the source for the data and provide transparency on its process of determining state funding allocations for various Agency programs.

The Department of Agriculture's (USDA) Office of Urban Agriculture and Innovative Production (OUAIP) is seeking nominations for individuals to serve on the Urban Agriculture and Innovative Production Advisory Committee (UAIPAC). The UAIPAC advises the Secretary of Agriculture on the development of policies and outreach relating to urban, indoor, and other emerging agricultural production practices. The 12 members appointed by the Secretary of Agriculture are expected to serve a 3-year term. The nomination period includes four vacancies, including the: urban producer representative; higher education or extension program representative; business and economic development representative; and representative with related experience in urban, indoor, and other emerging agriculture production practices.