Department of Agriculture February 2025 – Federal Register Recent Federal Regulation Documents

We are reopening the comment period for our proposed rule that would create the regulations governing the US Swine Health Improvement Plan, a voluntary livestock improvement program aimed at improving biosecurity, traceability, and disease surveillance for swine health. This action will allow interested persons additional time to prepare and submit comments.

In accordance with the Paperwork Reduction Act of 1995, this notice announces the Animal and Plant Health Inspection Service's intention to request the reinstatement of an information collection to conduct the National Animal Health Monitoring System's Equine 2026 Study.

In accordance with the Paperwork Reduction Act of 1995 and Office of Management and Budget (OMB) regulations, FSIS is announcing its intention to revise the approved information collection regarding the importation of undenatured inedible product, and samples of imported product for laboratory examination, research, evaluative testing, or trade show exhibition. The approval for this information collection will expire on June 30, 2025. FSIS is reducing the total burden estimate by 8,818 hours because the number of applications for importing meat, poultry or egg products samples destined for laboratory examination, research, evaluative testing, or trade show exhibition has decreased, and because the current forms are more user friendly and take less time to complete.

In accordance with the Paperwork Reduction Act of 1995 and Office of Management and Budget (OMB) regulations, FSIS is announcing its intention to renew an approved information collection regarding business registration requirements. There are no changes to the existing information collection. The approval for this information collection will expire on June 30, 2025.

Notice is hereby given, pursuant to the provisions of the rules and regulations of the U.S. Department of Agriculture (USDA) and the Federal Advisory Committee Act (FACA), the Office of Tribal Relations is announcing a meeting of the Tribal Advisory Committee on Tuesday February 18, 2025, at 12 p.m. Eastern Standard Time. The Committee is authorized under the Agriculture Improvement Act of 2018 (the 2018 Farm Bill) and operates in compliance with the Federal Advisory Committee Act. The purpose of the Committee is to provide advice and guidance to USDA on matters related to Tribal and Indian affairs.

This document delays the effective date of the January 10, 2025, modified system of records notice, titled "Smuggling Interdiction and Trade Compliance (SITC) National Information Communication Activity System (SNICAS), USDA/APHIS-21," in accordance with the memorandum of January 20, 2025, from the President titled, "Regulatory Freeze Pending Review". The effective date of the exemptions in the notice are delayed until April 11, 2025. The notice modified the system to exempt it from certain provisions of the Privacy Act.

This document delays the effective date of the January 21, 2025, final rule revising the regulations related to the Paper and Paper-Based Packaging Promotion, Research and Information Order (Order). The amendments included an added definition for partnership; clarification of the nominations process; clarification about in person and electronic voting for any Board meetings; an update of the timing of financial reporting; and a revision of requirements for when exemptions can be requested.

This document delays the effective date of the December 23, 2024, final rule that amended USDA's organic regulations to clarify standards for organic mushrooms and organic pet food. The topics addressed by the rule include mushroom substrate composition and sourcing of mushroom spawn in organic mushroom production; composting requirements for organic mushroom production; composition and labeling requirements for organic pet food; and the use of certain synthetic substances, including taurine, in organic pet food.