Department of Agriculture 2024 – Federal Register Recent Federal Regulation Documents

The Siuslaw Resource Advisory Committee will hold a public meeting according to the details shown below. The committee is authorized under the Secure Rural Schools and Community Self- Determination Act (the Act) and operates in compliance with the Federal Advisory Committee Act. The purpose of the committee is to improve collaborative relationships and to provide advice and recommendations to the Forest Service concerning projects and funding consistent with Title II of the Act, as well as make recommendations on recreation fee proposals for sites on the Siuslaw National Forest within Benton, Coos, Douglas, Lane, Lincoln, Polk, Tillamook, and Yamhill counties, consistent with the Federal Lands Recreation Enhancement Act.

FSIS is announcing the dollar limitations on the amount of meat and meat products and poultry and poultry products that a retail store can sell to hotels, restaurants, and similar institutions without disqualifying itself for exemption from Federal inspection requirements.

This notice announces the U.S. Department of Agriculture's (USDA) intention to revise to the currently approved through December 31, 2025, Advisory Committee and Research and Promotion Background Information AD-755 and Supplemental ListsAgricultural Marketing Service (AMS) Research and Promotion Commodity specific questionnaire and include a new Marketing specific questionnaire. The revised form and supplemental information will allow applicants to answer questions in more detail of their foreign citizenship identification (passport number, passport expiration date, and issuing country). In addition, if an applicant is a foreign national, identify if this person resided in the United States (U.S.) for 3 years or more continuous years. The primary objective is to determine the qualifications, suitability and availability of a candidates to serve on advisory committees and/or research and promotion boards. Lastly, the AD-755 Form and supplemental questionnaire are being digitized to allow applicants to access and complete the application form electronically.

The Rural Housing Service (RHS or the Agency), a Rural Development (RD) agency of the United States Department of Agriculture (USDA), announces the acceptance of applications under the Puerto Rico Rural Partners Network (RPN) Rural Community Development Initiative (RCDI) program to provide authorized activities in Puerto Rico areas affected by a disaster declared by the President or the Secretary of Agriculture. These grants will be made to qualified intermediary organizations that will provide financial and technical assistance to recipients to develop their capacity and ability to undertake projects related to housing, community facilities, or community and economic development that will support the community. The maximum grant award amount available to an intermediary is $250,000. The Consolidated Security, Disaster Assistance, and Continuing Appropriations Act, 2009, created the Disaster Assistance Fund (DAF) and the Secretary of Agriculture has authorized $1,000,000 of DAF funds to be utilized in Puerto Rico for the RCDI program for the purposes described in this NOFA.

The Inyo National Forest is proposing to establish a recreation fee site. Proposed recreation fees collected at the proposed recreation fee sites would be used for operation, maintenance, and improvement of the sites. An analysis of nearby recreation fee sites with similar amenities shows the proposed recreation fees that would be charged at the new recreation fee sites are reasonable and typical of similar recreation fee sites in the area.

The USDA Forest Service, Coronado National Forest, is preparing an environmental impact statement (EIS) to evaluate and disclose the potential environmental effects from the proposed Hermosa Critical Minerals Exploration and Mine Plan of Operations, submitted by South32 Hermosa Inc. (proponent), to occupy and use National Forest System lands for operations associated with an expansion of an underground polymetallic development. The proposed mine plan of operations (MPO) may also require an amendment to the 2018 Coronado National Forest Land and Resource Management Plan (forest plan) to include site-specific exceptions to plan direction to accommodate the proposed exploration and mining operations. The Forest Service is providing this public scoping opportunity to gather information to inform the environmental review and decision-making process.

The Farm Service Agency (FSA), on behalf of the Commodity Credit Corporation, is issuing this notice to announce the availability of cost share assistance through OCCSP for fiscal year (FY) 2024. FSA is giving the opportunity for State Agencies to apply for grant agreements to administrator the OCCSP program to establish agreements to provide cost share assistance to eligible producers and handlers and for producers and handlers to apply for OCCSP payment at FSA county office.

CCC and FSA are making a technical correction to the Dairy Margin Coverage (DMC) regulations published on February 27, 2024. The technical correction will apply to the 2024 DMC coverage election period to allow dairy operations that dissolved prior to or during the 2024 DMC coverage election period the opportunity to enroll in 2024 DMC for the days they marketed milk in the 2024 calendar year.

The Natural Resources Conservation Service (NRCS) Utah State Office, in cooperation with the U.S. Bureau of Reclamation (USBR), the Environmental Protection Agency (EPA), and Cache Water District (project sponsor), announces its intent to prepare an EIS for the Wellsville Canyon Watershed Plan located within the Little Bear River Watershed in Cache County, Utah. The proposed Wellsville Canyon Watershed Plan will examine alternative solutions to provide flood protection and conveyance infrastructure, reduce irrigation water loss, enhance recreational facilities, and reduce erosion and nutrient loading to the Little Bear River in Wellsville and Mendon cities and portions of unincorporated Cache County. NRCS is requesting comments to identify significant issues, potential alternatives, information, and analyses relevant to the proposed action from all interested individuals, Federal and State agencies, and Tribes.

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.