Agricultural Marketing Service February 2014 – Federal Register Recent Federal Regulation Documents

This rule relaxes the minimum size and grade requirements currently prescribed for grapefruit under the marketing order for oranges and grapefruit grown in Lower Rio Grande Valley in Texas (order). The order is administered locally by the Texas Valley Citrus Committee (Committee). This rule relaxes the minimum size requirement for grapefruit from 3\5/16\ inches to 3 inches in diameter and reduces the minimum grade requirement for small-sized grapefruit. This rule will provide additional grapefruit to meet market demand, helping to maximize fresh shipments.

This document directs that a referendum be conducted among eligible growers and processors of tart cherries grown in the States of Michigan, New York, Pennsylvania, Oregon, Utah, Washington and Wisconsin to determine whether they favor continuance of the marketing order that regulates the handling of tart cherries produced in the production area.

In accordance with the Paperwork Reduction Act of 1995 (44 U.S.C. Chapter 35), this notice announces the Agricultural Marketing Service's (AMS) intention to request approval from the Office of Management and Budget (OMB), for a revision to and an extension of approval of an information collection associated with qualitative customer and stakeholder feedback on service delivery by ANS.

In accordance with the Paperwork Reduction Act of 1995 (44 U.S.C. Chapter 35), this notice announces the Agricultural Marketing Service's (AMS) intention to request approval from the Office of Management and Budget, for an extension of the currently approved information collection for OMB 0581-0229, USDA Farmers Market Application. Copies of this one-time yearly application form to participate in the U.S. Department of Agriculture (USDA) Farmers Market may be obtained by calling the AMS Marketing Services Branch contact listed or visiting the Web site at www.ams.usda.gov/farmersmarkets.

The Department of Agriculture (USDA) is adopting, as a final rule, without change, an interim rule that decreased the assessment rate established for the Colorado Potato Administrative Committee, Area No. 2 (Committee) for the 2013-2014 and subsequent fiscal periods from $0.0051 to $0.0033 per hundredweight of potatoes handled. The Committee locally administers the marketing order for Irish potatoes grown in Colorado. The interim rule was necessary to allow the Committee to reduce its financial reserve while still providing adequate funding to meet program expenses.

This rule exempts red types of potatoes from minimum quality, maturity, pack, marking, and inspection requirements of the Washington potato marketing order for the remainder of the 2013-2014 fiscal period and subsequent fiscal periods. The marketing order regulates the handling of Irish potatoes grown in Washington and is administered locally by the State of Washington Potato Committee (Committee). During the exemption period, reports will be required from handlers of red types of potatoes to obtain information necessary to administer the marketing order. As required under section 8e of the Agricultural Marketing Agreement Act of 1937, this action also exempts imported red- skinned, round type potatoes from minimum grade, size, quality, and maturity requirements. This rule is expected to reduce overall industry expenses and increase net returns to producers and handlers while giving the industry the opportunity to explore alternative marketing strategies.