Agricultural Marketing Service August 2021 – Federal Register Recent Federal Regulation Documents

The Agricultural Marketing Service (AMS) is announcing revisions to the 2021/2022 rates it will charge for voluntary grading services for tobacco. Revised rates are based on financial information obtained since the 2021/2022 rates were announced on April 21, 2021, and will be applied to all services provided since July 1, 2021, and thereafter.

This proposal invites comments on increasing the threshold for defining primary peanut-producing states as states that maintain a 3- year average production of at least 20,000 tons of peanuts instead of 10,000 tons of peanuts as currently prescribed in the Peanut Promotion, Research, and Information Order (Order). The Order is administered by the National Peanut Board (Board) with oversight by the U.S. Department of Agriculture (USDA). As a result of increasing the threshold, this proposal would decrease the Board's membership from 13 to 12 members and their respective alternates. This action would contribute to effective administration of the program.

This action is being taken under the authority of the Agricultural Marketing Act of 1946, as amended, (AMA). The United States Department of Agriculture's (USDA) Agricultural Marketing Service (AMS) is adding the new criterion, Cotyledon Damage, in the Bean Inspection Handbook pertaining to the class chickpea/garbanzo beans in the U.S. Standards for Beans. Stakeholders in the dry bean processing/handling industry requested AMS to revise the Bean Inspection Handbook to include the criterion for the new damage factor, Cotyledon Damage, in chickpeas/garbanzo beans.

This action is being taken under the authority of the United States Grain Standards Act, as amended, (USGSA). The United States Department of Agriculture's (USDA) Agricultural Marketing Service (AMS) is making no changes regarding the United States (U.S.) Standards for Sorghum under the USGSA.

The U.S. Department of Agriculture's Agricultural Marketing Service proposes amendments to the National List of Allowed and Prohibited Substances (National List) section of the USDA's organic regulations to implement recommendations submitted to the Secretary of Agriculture (Secretary) by the National Organic Standards Board (NOSB). This rule proposes the removal from the National List of several substances currently allowed for various uses in organic crop production, livestock production, and manufacture of processed products.

This notice of proposed rulemaking invites public input on proposed revisions to Federal Grain Inspection regulations. The Agricultural Marketing Service is required to revise the regulations as a result of 2018 Farm Bill amendments to the U.S. Grain Standards Act. Revised regulations would allow designated official agencies to perform grain inspections outside their geographic areas under certain additional conditions. Proposed revisions are based on industry input and are intended to provide additional flexibility to the industry.

This final rule implements a recommendation from the California Olive Committee to increase the assessment rate for the 2021 fiscal year. The assessment rate will remain in effect indefinitely unless modified, suspended, or terminated.

This rule invites comments on the proposed termination of the Federal marketing order regulating the handling of onions grown in South Texas and the rules and regulations issued thereunder. A corresponding change would be made to the onion import regulation as required under section 8e of the Agricultural Marketing Agreement Act of 1937.