Agricultural Marketing Service March 2024 – Federal Register Recent Federal Regulation Documents

The Agricultural Marketing Service (AMS) of the Department of Agriculture (USDA) is soliciting information about potential additions to or subtractions from the List of Bioengineered Foods (List) as it pertains to the National Bioengineered Food Disclosure Standard (Standard).

This proposed rule would implement a recommendation from the California Olive Committee (Committee) to decrease the assessment rate established for the 2024 fiscal year and subsequent fiscal years. The proposed assessment rate would remain in effect indefinitely unless modified, suspended, or terminated.

The United States Department of Agriculture (USDA) Agricultural Marketing Service (AMS) proposes to amend the USDA organic regulations to clarify standards for organic mushrooms and organic pet food. Specific standards for these products do not currently exist. Instead, these products have been certified organic using the general organic standards for crops, livestock, and handling. However, this approach is not ideal as the current regulations do not address unique aspects of either product. AMS expects this rule would promote development of these markets by increasing regulatory certainty that would, in turn, encourage investment in the markets. The topics addressed by the proposed rule include sourcing of substrate and 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 in organic pet food.

This proposed rule would implement a recommendation from the Florida Tomato Committee (Committee) to increase the assessment rate established for the 2023-2024 and subsequent fiscal periods from $0.025 to $0.035 per 25-pound container of tomatoes or equivalent. The proposed assessment rate would remain in effect indefinitely unless modified, suspended, or terminated.

The U.S. Department of Agriculture's (USDA or Department) Agricultural Marketing Service (AMS or the Agency) amends its Packers and Stockyards Act, 1921, regulations to prohibit undue prejudice and unjust discrimination against individuals on a prohibited basis unrelated to the quality of the service or product provided. The rule also identifies retaliatory practices that interfere with lawful communications, assertion of rights, and associated participation, among other protected activities, as unjust discrimination prohibited by the law. Finally, the rule identifies deceptive practices that violate the Packers and Stockyards Act with respect to contract formation, contract performance, contract termination, and contract refusal. The purpose of this rule is to promote inclusive competition and market integrity in the livestock, meats, poultry, and live poultry markets.