Agricultural Marketing Service – Federal Register Recent Federal Regulation Documents

This action terminates a proceeding that amended manufacturing allowances of the Class III and Class IV price formulas applicable to all Federal milk marketing orders on an interim basis. However, subsequent formal rulemaking proceedings have superseded these amendments and therefore, action on this proceeding is terminated.

The Department of Agriculture (USDA) is adopting, as a final rule, without change, an interim rule that revised the reporting requirements prescribed under the marketing order for cranberries grown in the States of Massachusetts, Rhode Island, Connecticut, New Jersey, Wisconsin, Michigan, Minnesota, Oregon, Washington, and Long Island in the State of New York (order). The interim rule changed the dates covered by the third reporting period and the date by which the Handler Inventory Report (Form HIR) is due to the Committee. These changes help ensure the Committee has current and complete information available for its discussions during its annual August meeting, while providing handlers sufficient time to submit their reports.

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 and revision to the currently approved information collection 0581-0263: National Sheep Industry Improvement Center (NSIIC).

This rule increases the assessment rate established for the Texas Valley Citrus Committee (Committee) for the 2012-13 and subsequent fiscal periods from $0.14 to $0.16 per 7/10-bushel carton or equivalent of oranges and grapefruit handled. The Committee locally administers the marketing order that regulates the handling of oranges and grapefruit grown in the Lower Rio Grande Valley in Texas (order). Assessments upon orange and grapefruit handlers are used by the Committee to fund reasonable and necessary expenses of the program. The fiscal period begins August 1 and ends July 31. The assessment rate will remain in effect indefinitely unless modified, suspended, or terminated.

This rule reapportions the membership of the Processed Pear Committee (Committee) established under the Oregon-Washington pear marketing order. The marketing order regulates the handling of processed pears grown in Oregon and Washington, and is administered locally by the Committee. This rule reapportions the processor membership such that the three processor members and alternate members will be selected from the production area at-large rather than from a specific district. In an industry with few processors, this change will provide the flexibility needed to help ensure that all processor member positions are filled, resulting in effective representation of the processed pear industry on the Committee.

In accordance with the Paperwork Reduction Act of 1995 (44 U.S.C. Chapter 35), this document announces the Agricultural Marketing Service's (AMS) intention to request approval, from the Office of Management and Budget (OMB), for an extension of and revision to the currently approved information collection 7 CFR part 201 for Federal Seed Act Labeling and Enforcement.

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 and revision to the approved forms and generic information collection for marketing orders covering fruit crops.

In accordance with the Paperwork Reduction Act of 1995 (44 U.S.C. Chapter 35), this document announces the Agricultural Marketing Service's (AMS) intention to request approval, from the Office of Management and Budget, for an extension of and revision to the currently approved information collection used to compile and generate cattle, swine, lamb, wholesale pork, and boxed beef market news reports under the Livestock Mandatory Reporting Act of 1999.

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 for renewal a recordkeeping burden for the information collection for the Export Fruit Acts covering exports of apples and grapes.

This proposed rule would 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 2013-2014 marketing year, which begins on June 1, 2013. This proposal invites comments on the establishment of salable quantities and allotment percentages for Class 1 (Scotch) spearmint oil of 1,344,858 pounds and 65 percent, respectively, and for Class 3 (Native) spearmint oil of 1,432,189 pounds and 61 percent, respectively. The Spearmint Oil Administrative Committee (Committee), the agency responsible for local administration of the marketing order for spearmint oil produced in the Far West, recommended these limitations for the purpose of avoiding extreme fluctuations in supplies and prices to help maintain stability in the spearmint oil market.

The Department of Agriculture is adopting, as a final rule, without change, an interim rule that decreased the assessment rate established for the Processed Pear Committee (Committee) for the 2012- 2013 and subsequent fiscal periods from $7.73 to $7.00 per ton of summer/fall processed pears. The Committee locally administers the marketing order that regulates the handling of processed pears grown in Oregon and Washington. The Committee recommended the assessment rate decrease because the summer/fall processed pear promotion budget for the 2012-2013 fiscal period was reduced.

This notice announces draft guidance for review and comment by accredited certifying agents, certified operations, material evaluation programs, and other organic industry stakeholders. The first set of draft guidance documents implements recommendations from the National Organic Standards Board (NOSB) concerning the classification of materials under the USDA organic regulations (7 CFR part 205). The Classification of Materials draft guidance, NOP 5033, details the procedures and decision trees for classifying materials used for organic crop production, livestock production, and handling. The second set of draft guidance documents, NOP 5034, provides clarification regarding materials for use in organic crop production. These documents include an itemization of allowed natural and synthetic materials and a limited appendix of materials prohibited in organic crop production. The guidance explains the policy of the National Organic Program (NOP) concerning the portions of the regulations in question, referenced herein. The Agricultural Marketing Service (AMS) invites organic producers, handlers, certifying agents, material evaluation programs, consumers and other interested parties to submit comments about these guidance provisions. Notices of availability of final guidance on these topics will be issued upon final approval. Once finalized, final guidance documents will be available from NOP through ``The Program Handbook: Guidance and Instructions for Certifying Agents and Certified Operations.'' This Handbook provides those who own, manage, or certify organic operations with guidance and instructions that can assist them in complying with the USDA organic regulations. The current edition of the Program Handbook is available online at https://www.ams.usda.gov/nop or in print upon request.

Notice is hereby given of a public hearing to receive evidence on proposed amendments to Marketing Order No. 905 (order), that regulates the handling of oranges, grapefruit, tangerines, and tangelos (citrus) grown in Florida. Nine amendments are proposed by the Citrus Administrative Committee (committee), which is responsible for local administration of the order. These proposed amendments would: 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 financial reserve funds, 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. In addition, the Agricultural Marketing Service (AMS) proposes to make any such changes as may be necessary to the order to conform to any amendment that may result from the hearing. These proposed amendments are intended to update the order to reflect past changes in the industry and potential future changes, and to improve the operation and administration of the order.

This rule revises the United States Standards for Grades of Almonds in the Shell. These standards are issued under the Agricultural Marketing Act of 1946. The Agricultural Marketing Service (AMS) is revising the standards by changing the determination of internal defects from count to weight. These revisions will align the inspection procedures for incoming inspections (based on the marketing order) and outgoing inspections (based on the standards). These changes will promote greater uniformity and will provide consistency with current marketing practices.

This rule invites comments on a proposed change to reporting requirements prescribed under the Federal marketing order for oranges, grapefruit, tangerines, and tangelos grown in Florida (order). The Citrus Administrative Committee (Committee) is responsible for local administration of the order. This action would require all fresh citrus handlers to provide the Committee with a list of all growers whose fruit they handled each season. This information would enable the Committee to more efficiently administer the order and improve communication with growers. This proposal also announces the Agricultural Marketing Service's (AMS) intention to request approval from Office of Management and Budget (OMB) of a new information collection.

This final rule redefines districts, reapportions representation, and modifies the qualifications for membership on the Citrus Administrative Committee (Committee). The Committee is responsible for local administration of the Federal marketing order for oranges, grapefruit, tangerines, and tangelos grown in Florida (order). This final rule reduces the number of districts, reapportions representation among the districts, and allows up to four growers who are shippers or employees of a shipper to serve as grower members on the Committee. These changes adjust grower representation to reflect the composition of the industry, provide equitable representation from each district, and create the opportunity for more growers to serve on the Committee.

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, M.O. No. 981.

This rule invites comments on reestablishing the membership on the Colorado Potato Administrative Committee, Area No. 2 (Committee). The Committee locally administers the marketing order regulating the handling of Irish potatoes grown in Colorado. This rule would modify the Committee membership structure by amending the position allocated to a producer from Conejos County. Beginning with the 2013-2014 term of office, such designated Committee position would be allocated to an eligible producer operating in either Conejos or Costilla County. This action is expected to improve Committee representation for producers from this sub-region of the production area.

This rule decreases the assessment rate established for the Florida Tomato Committee (Committee) for the 2012-13 and subsequent fiscal periods from $0.037 to $0.024 per 25-pound carton of tomatoes handled. The Committee locally administers the marketing order which regulates the handling of tomatoes grown in Florida. Assessments upon Florida tomato handlers are used by the Committee to fund reasonable and necessary expenses of the program. The fiscal period begins August 1 and ends July 31. The assessment rate will remain in effect indefinitely unless modified, suspended, or terminated.

This rule invites comments on five proposed amendments to Marketing Order No. 920 (order) which regulates the handling of kiwifruit grown in California. The amendments were proposed by the Kiwifruit Administrative Committee (Committee or KAC), which is responsible for local administration of the order. The five proposals would amend the marketing order by adding authority to recommend and conduct production and postharvest research, adding authority to recommend and conduct market research and development projects, adding authority to receive and expend voluntary contributions, amending procedures to specify that recommendations for production research and market development be approved by eight members of the Committee, and updating provisions regarding alternate members' service on the Committee.

This rule would increase the assessment rate established for the South Texas Onion Committee (Committee) for the 2012-13 and subsequent fiscal periods from $0.025 to $0.03 per 50-pound equivalent of onions handled. The Committee locally administers the marketing order which regulates the handling of onions grown in South Texas. Assessments upon onion handlers are used by the Committee to fund reasonable and necessary expenses of the program. The fiscal period begins August 1 and ends July 31. The assessment rate would remain in effect indefinitely unless modified, suspended, or terminated.

The American Taxpayer Relief Act of 2012 (ATRA) extended the authorization of the Dairy Forward Pricing Program contained in the Food, Conservation and Energy Act of 2008 (the 2008 Farm Bill), through September 30, 2013. This document provides notice that producers and cooperative associations of producers may enter into forward price contracts under the Dairy Forward Pricing Program through September 30, 2013, as provided for in the Final Rule published October 31, 2008 (73 FR 64868). The 2008 Farm Bill initially prohibited new forward contracts from being entered into after September 30, 2012, and no forward contracts entered into under the program extending beyond September 30, 2015. However, passage of the ATRA that was signed into law on January 2, 2013, revised the program to allow new contracts to be entered into until September 30, 2013. Any forward contract entered into up and until the September 30, 2013, deadline is still subject to the September 30, 2015, cutoff date to meet the terms of the contract.

The Agricultural Marketing Service (AMS) is proposing to increase the fees for voluntary Federal dairy grading and inspection services. The fee increases proposed are 15 percent during fiscal year (FY) 2013 and 5 percent during FY 2014. These fees were last adjusted in 2006. Dairy grading and inspection services are voluntary and are financed in their entirety through user fees assessed to participants using the program. Despite the adoption of technologies that have improved services, additional changes in operations that enhanced efficiencies, and reduced employee numbers, increases in salaries, technology investments, and general inflation have more than offset savings resulting in the need to increase fees. AMS estimates the proposed fee increase will result in an overall cost increase to the industry of less than $0.0004 per pound of dairy product graded. This increase is needed to avoid a reduction in the services offered that aid the dairy industry in effectively marketing their products.

This proposed rule would increase the assessment rate established for the Citrus Administrative Committee (Committee) for the 2012-13 and subsequent fiscal periods from $0.0072 to $0.008 per \4/5\ bushel carton of citrus handled. The Committee locally administers the marketing order which regulates the handling of oranges, grapefruit, tangerines, and tangelos grown in Florida. Assessments upon citrus handlers are used by the Committee to fund reasonable and necessary expenses of the program. The fiscal period begins August 1 and ends July 31. The assessment rate would remain in effect indefinitely unless modified, suspended, or terminated.

This proposed rule would increase the assessment rate established for the Texas Valley Citrus Committee (Committee) for the 2012-13 and subsequent fiscal periods from $0.14 to $0.16 per 7/10- bushel carton or equivalent of oranges and grapefruit handled. The Committee locally administers the marketing order which regulates the handling of oranges and grapefruit grown in the Lower Rio Grande Valley in Texas (order). Assessments upon orange and grapefruit handlers are used by the Committee to fund reasonable and necessary expenses of the program. The fiscal period begins August 1 and ends July 31. The assessment rate would remain in effect indefinitely unless modified, suspended, or terminated.