Agricultural Marketing Service March 2016 – Federal Register Recent Federal Regulation Documents

This proposed rule would implement a recommendation from the Far West Spearmint Oil Administrative Committee (Committee) to establish the quantity of spearmint oil produced in the Far West, by class, that handlers may purchase from, or handle on behalf of, producers during the 2016-2017 marketing year, which begins on June 1, 2016. The Far West production area includes the states of Washington, Idaho, and Oregon, and designated parts of Nevada and Utah. This rulemaking would establish salable quantities and allotment percentages for Class 1 (Scotch) spearmint oil of 958,711 pounds and 45 percent, respectively, and for Class 3 (Native) spearmint oil of 1,209,546 pounds and 50 percent, respectively. The Committee locally administers the marketing order for spearmint oil produced in the Far West and recommended these salable quantities and allotment percentages to help maintain stability in the spearmint oil market.

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 an extension for and revision of a currently approved information collection for Almonds Grown in California, Marketing Order No. 981.

This proposed rule would amend the Beef Promotion and Research Order (Order) established under the Beef Promotion and Research Act of 1985 (Act) to increase assessment levels for imported veal and veal products based on revised determinations of live animal equivalencies and to update and expand the Harmonized Tariff System (HTS) numbers and categories, which identify imported veal and veal products to conform with recent updates in the numbers and categories used by the U.S. Customs and Border Protection (Customs).

This proposed rule would update the Patents, Copyrights, Trademarks, and Information Language (IP) of the Egg Research and Promotion Rules and Regulations (Regulations). The proposed amendment would model current commodity research and promotion program orders created under the Commodity Promotion, Research, and Information Act of 1996.

This proposed rule would implement a recommendation from the Avocado Administrative Committee (Committee) to increase the assessment rate established for the 2016-17 and subsequent fiscal periods from $0.30 to $0.35 per 55-pound bushel container of Florida avocados handled under the marketing order (order). The Committee locally administers the order and is comprised of growers and handlers of avocados operating within the area of production. Assessments upon Florida avocado handlers are used by the Committee to fund reasonable and necessary expenses of the program. The fiscal period begins April 1 and ends March 31. The assessment rate would remain in effect indefinitely unless modified, suspended, or terminated.

This proposed rule would implement a recommendation from the California Desert Grape Administrative Committee (Committee) to increase the assessment rate established for the 2016 and subsequent fiscal periods from $0.0250 to $0.0300 per 18-pound lug of grapes handled under the marketing order (order). The Committee locally administers the order, and is comprised of producers and handlers of grapes grown in a designated area of southeastern California. Assessments upon grape handlers are used by the Committee to fund reasonable and necessary expenses of the program. The fiscal period began on January 1 and ends December 31. The assessment rate would remain in effect indefinitely unless modified, suspended, or terminated.

This rule proposes two amendments to Marketing Order No. 989 (order), which regulates the handling of raisins produced from grapes grown in California and provides producers with the opportunity to vote in a referendum to determine if they favor the changes. These amendments were proposed by the Raisin Administrative Committee (Committee), which is responsible for the local administration of the order and is comprised of producers and handlers of raisins operating within the production area. These proposed amendments are intended to improve administration of the order and reflect current industry practices.

This final rule amends the Country of Origin Labeling (COOL) regulations to remove muscle cut beef and pork, and ground beef and pork from mandatory COOL requirements. The COOL regulations are issued pursuant to the Agricultural Marketing Act of 1946 (Act). The Agency is issuing this rule to conform with amendments to the Act contained in the Consolidated Appropriations Act, 2016.

This final rule amends Marketing Order No. 905 (order), which regulates the handling of oranges, grapefruit, tangerines, and tangelos (citrus) grown in Florida. The amendments were proposed by the Citrus Administrative Committee (Committee), which locally administers the order, and is comprised of growers and handlers. These amendments: Authorize regulation of new varieties and hybrids of citrus fruit; authorize the regulation of intrastate shipments of fruit; revise the process for redistricting the production area; change the term of office and tenure requirements for Committee members; authorize mail balloting procedures for Committee membership nominations; increase the capacity of the financial reserve fund; authorize pack and container requirements for domestic shipments and authorize different regulations for different markets; eliminate the use of separate acceptance statements in the nomination process; and require handlers to register with the Committee. All of the proposals were favored by Florida citrus growers in a mail referendum, held September 14 through October 5, 2015. Of the 200 votes cast, 96 percent or more of the vote by number and 99 percent or more by volume approved all nine amendments. The amendments are intended to improve the operation and functioning of the marketing order program.