Department of Agriculture 2024 – Federal Register Recent Federal Regulation Documents

We are advising the public that a draft programmatic environmental impact statement (EIS) has been prepared by the Animal and Plant Health Inspection Service relative to our response activities to highly pathogenic avian influenza (HPAI) outbreaks in commercial and backyard poultry operations located throughout the United States, including the U.S. territories. The draft EIS analyzes and compares the potential environmental effects of using three action alternatives during an HPAI outbreak. We are making this draft programmatic EIS available to the public for review and comment.

Pursuant to the provisions of the rules and regulations of the Department of Agriculture and the Federal Advisory Committee Act (FACA), FSIS is announcing a virtual meeting of the National Advisory Committee on Meat and Poultry Inspection (NACMPI). The purpose of the Committee is to advise the Secretary of Agriculture on State and Federal meat and poultry inspection programs, food safety, and other matters that fall within the scope of the Federal Meat Inspection Act (FMIA) and the Poultry Products Inspection Act (PPIA). The committee will convene virtually on September 16 and 17, 2024. The Committee will review and advise FSIS on whether the Agency should change its definitions for establishment sizes to better assess and describe current business operations. The Committee will also offer input on ways technology could enhance FSIS' inspection activities.

The Rural Housing Service (RHS or Agency), a Rural Development (RD) agency of the United States Department of Agriculture (USDA), is implementing changes to the Single-Family Housing Guaranteed Loan Program (SFHGLP) to amend the current regulations regarding Special Servicing Options and adjust the Mortgage Recovery Advance (MRA) process. This final rule is intended to benefit borrowers and lenders by providing lenders more flexibility in their servicing options, offering a less expensive and less cumbersome MRA process, and reduce program risk of the guaranteed loan portfolio.

In accordance with the Paperwork Reduction Act and Office of Management and Budget (OMB) regulations, this notice announces the intention of the Agricultural Research Service (ARS) to seek approval to collect information in support of research and related activities.

The Klamath National Forest is proposing to establish several recreation fee sites. 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 proposed recreation fee sites are reasonable and typical of similar recreation fee sites in the area.

In accordance with the Paperwork Reduction Act of 1995, this notice announces the Rural Utilities Service's (RUS or the Agency), an agency with the United States Department of Agriculture, Rural Development, intention to request a revision to a currently approved information collection package for the Telecommunications System Construction Policies and Procedures. The Agency invites comments on this information collection for which the Agency intends to request approval from the Office of Management and Budget (OMB).

In accordance with the Paperwork Reduction Act of 1995 the Rural Utilities Service (RUS or Agency), an agency within the United States Department of Agriculture (USDA), Rural Development (RD), announces its intention to request a revision to a currently approved information collection package for Water and Waste Disposal Loans and Grants (WWLG), Water and Waste Facility Loans and Grants to Alleviate Health Risks for Colonias, Water and Waste Facility Loans and Grants to Alleviate Health Risks on Tribal Lands, Emergency Community Water Assistance Grants (ECWAG), and Grants for Rural Alaskan Village (RAVG) programs. The Agency invites comments on this information collection for which it intends to request approval from the Office of Management and Budget (OMB).

The U.S. Codex Office is sponsoring a public meeting on September 11, 2024. 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 36th Session of the Codex Committee on Fish and Fishery Products (CCFFP) of the Codex Alimentarius Commission (CAC). The 36th Session of the CCFFP will be held through correspondence, from October 7-11 and 17, 2024. 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 36th Session of the CCFFP and to address items on the agenda.

We are advising the public that we have prepared a final environmental assessment and finding of no significant impact relative to permitting the release of the insect Lophodiplosis indentata for the biological control of Melaleuca quinquenervia (Myrtaceae) in the contiguous United States. Based on our finding of no significant impact, we have determined that an environmental impact statement need not be prepared.

This document announces the renewal of 47 substances listed on the National List of Allowed and Prohibited Substances within the U.S. Department of Agriculture's organic regulations. This document reflects the outcome of the 2025 sunset review processes and addresses recommendations submitted to the Secretary of Agriculture, through the USDA's Agricultural Marketing Service, by the National Organic Standards Board.

The Farm Service Agency (FSA) is amending the Farm Loan Programs (FLP) regulations to implement the Distressed Borrower Set- Aside (DBSA) Program and other changes. DBSA will provide a new loan servicing program for financially distressed borrowers that will allow for the deferral of one annual loan installment at a reduced interest rate. DBSA will provide a simpler option to resolve financial distress than existing loan servicing programs. In addition to helping borrowers by adding DBSA as a new loan servicing program, FSA is amending the FLP regulations to revise loan making and servicing to improve program access and delivery. This rule is part of FSA's ongoing efforts for farm loans to remove barriers to capital access and increase opportunities for borrowers to be successful.

FSIS is announcing its proposed determination that raw chicken carcasses, chicken parts, comminuted chicken, and comminuted turkey products contaminated with certain Salmonella levels and serotypes are adulterated within the meaning of the Poultry Products Inspection Act (PPIA). The proposed determination would establish final product standards based on these Salmonella levels and serotypes and would prevent raw chicken carcasses, chicken parts, comminuted chicken, and comminuted turkey products that contain Salmonella at the levels and serotypes that would render them adulterated from entering commerce. FSIS is also proposing to revise the regulations that require that all poultry slaughter establishments develop, implement, and maintain written procedures to prevent contamination by enteric pathogens throughout the entire slaughter and dressing operation to clarify that these procedures must include a microbial monitoring program (MMP) that incorporates statistical process control (SPC) monitoring methods, to require sampling at rehang instead of pre-chill, and to require that all establishments conduct paired sampling at rehang and post-chill.

We are advising the public that we are proposing to recognize Costa Rica as being free of classical swine fever. This proposed recognition is based on a risk evaluation we have prepared in connection with this action, which we are making available for review and comment.

In accordance with the Paperwork Reduction Act of 1995, the Rural Business-Cooperative Service (RBCS) announces its intention to request a revision for a currently approved information collection package for the Annual Survey of Farmer Cooperatives, as authorized in the Cooperative Marketing Act of 1926.

The Federal Subsistence Board (Board) announces the public meetings of the 10 Alaska Subsistence Regional Advisory Councils (Councils) for the winter and fall cycles of 2025. The Councils each meet approximately twice a year to provide advice and recommendations to the Board about subsistence hunting and fishing issues on Federal public lands in Alaska.

Rural Development (RD), a mission area within the United States Department of Agriculture (USDA) announces its intention to adopt three Categorical Exclusions (CEs) from the United States Department of Energy (DOE) under the National Environmental Policy Act (NEPA) to use in RD programs and funding opportunities. This notice describes the categories of proposed actions for which RD intends to use the DOE CEs and describes the consultation between the agencies.

The United States Department of Agriculture (USDA) is issuing this notice to revise fiscal year (FY) 2024 (crop year 2023) State cane sugar allotments and allocations to sugarcane processors as well as company allocations to sugar beet processors. These actions apply to all domestic beet and cane sugar marketed for human consumption in the United States from October 1, 2023, through September 30, 2024.

This final rule implements a recommendation from the South Texas Onion Committee (Committee) to reestablish the districts in the production area and reapportion representation on the Committee. This action reduces the number of districts from two to one and reapportions membership to reflect changes in the industry, provide equitable representation on the Committee, and create the opportunity for more producers and handlers to serve on the Committee.

The Boise National Forest is proposing to establish several recreation fee sites. 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 Chippewa National Forest is proposing to establish several new recreation fee sites. Recreation fee revenues collected at the new 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 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 Rural Housing Service (RHS or Agency), a Rural Development (RD) mission area of the United States Department of Agriculture (USDA), announces the availability of up to $38 million in grant funding through its Community Facilities Program (CF) to repair essential community facilities damaged by Presidentially Declared Disasters in Calendar Year (CY) 2022 or to repair or replace essential community facilities damaged by Presidentially Declared Disasters in CY 2023 and Other Disasters in CY 2023, to remain available until expended. RHS may at its discretion, increase the total level of funding available from any available source provided the awards meet the requirements of the statute which made the funding available to the Agency. This Notice supersedes the prior Disaster Grant Notice published in the Federal Register on July 20, 2023.