Agricultural Marketing Service – Federal Register Recent Federal Regulation Documents

This rule decreases the assessment rate established for the California Date Administrative Committee (Committee) for the 2012-13 and subsequent crop years from $1.00 to $0.90 per hundredweight of dates handled. The Committee locally administers the marketing order which regulates the handling of dates grown or packed in Riverside County, California. Assessments upon date handlers are used by the Committee to fund reasonable and necessary expenses of the program. The crop year begins October 1 and ends September 30. The assessment rate will remain in effect indefinitely unless modified, suspended, or terminated.

This rule would increase the assessment rate established for the Fresh Pear Committee (Committee) for the 2012-2013 and subsequent fiscal periods from $0.366 to $0.449 per standard box or equivalent of summer/fall pears handled, and would decrease the assessment rate from $0.471 to $0.449 per standard box or equivalent of fresh winter pears handled. The Committee locally administers the marketing order which regulates the handling of fresh pears grown in Oregon and Washington. Assessments upon Oregon-Washington fresh pear handlers are used by the Committee to fund reasonable and necessary expenses of the program. The fiscal period begins July 1 and ends June 30. The assessment rate would remain in effect indefinitely unless modified, suspended, or terminated.

This final rule adjusts the number of members on the United Soybean Board (Board) to reflect changes in production levels that have occurred since the Board was reapportioned in 2009. As required by the Soybean Promotion, Research, and Consumer Information Act (Act), membership is reviewed every 3 years and adjustments are made accordingly. This change results in an increase in Board membership for Mississippi, increasing the total number of Board members from 69 to 70. The change will be effective for the 2013 nomination and appointment process.

This proposed rule invites comments on procedures for conducting a referendum to determine whether issuance of a proposed Paper and Paper-Based Packaging Promotion, Research and Information Order (Order) is favored by manufacturers (domestic producers) and importers of paper and paper-based packaging. The procedures would also be used for any subsequent referendum under the Order. The proposed Order is being published separately in this issue of the Federal Register. This proposed rule also announces the Agricultural Marketing Service's (AMS) intent to request approval by the Office of Management and Budget (OMB) of new information collection requirements to implement the program.

The Plant Variety Protection Office (PVPO) is seeking candidates for the Plant Variety Protection Board. We are asking for the submission of nomination packages (an Application for Committee Membership (AD-755) and resume) by January 7, 2013.

This proposed rule would redefine districts, reapportion representation, and modify 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 rule would reduce the number of districts, reapportion representation among the districts, and allow up to four growers who are shippers or employees of a shipper to serve as grower members on the Committee. These changes would 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.

This rule decreases the assessment rate established for the Washington Apricot Marketing Committee (Committee) for the 2012-13 and subsequent fiscal periods from $1.50 to $0.50 per ton of Washington apricots handled. The Committee locally administers the marketing order which regulates the handling of apricots grown in designated counties in Washington. Assessments upon apricot 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 will remain in effect indefinitely unless modified, suspended or terminated.

This rule invites comments on reapportionment of 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 would reapportion the processor membership such that the three processor members and alternate members would be selected from the production area-at-large rather than from a specific district. In an industry with few processors, this change would provide the flexibility needed to help ensure that all processor member positions are filled, resulting in effective representation of the processed pear industry.

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 and revision to the currently approved information collection of the Mandatory Country of Origin Labeling (COOL) of Covered Commodities.

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 for the National Farmers Market Manager Questionnaire.

This interim rule addresses a recommendation submitted to the Secretary of Agriculture (Secretary) by the National Organic Standards Board (NOSB) on April 29, 2011. This recommendation pertains to the 2012 Sunset Review for the exemption (use) of nutrient vitamins and minerals in organic handling on U.S. Department of Agriculture's (USDA) National List of Allowed and Prohibited Substances (National List). On January 12, 2012, AMS published a proposed rule on the 2012 Sunset Review which proposed to continue the exemption (use) for nutrient vitamins and minerals on the National List for 5 years after its October 21, 2012 sunset date. The proposed rule also proposed to correct an inaccurate cross reference to U.S. Food and Drug Administration (FDA) regulations in the listing for vitamins and minerals on the National List. AMS continues to review the public comments on the proposed rule and assess the extent of impacts on the industry that could result from correcting the cross reference to FDA regulations. Therefore, due to the impending sunset of the allowance for nutrients vitamins and minerals from the National List on October 21, 2012, and based on the NOSB recommendation, this interim rule renews, without change, the exemption (use) for nutrient vitamins and minerals on the National List. This interim rule provides for the continued use of nutrients vitamins and minerals in organic products until the agency completes the January 12, 2012, rulemaking.

This rule invites comments on proposed revisions to the administrative rules prescribed under the marketing order regulating the handling of spearmint oil produced in the Far West. The marketing order is administered locally by the Spearmint Oil Administrative Committee (Committee). This rule would change the date by which a producer must transfer excess spearmint oil to another producer or deliver such oil to the Committee or its designees for storage from November 1 to December 1. This action would also change the date that the Committee must pool identified excess oil as reserve oil from November 1 to December 1. The proposed changes would be a relaxation of the handling regulations and are expected to benefit producers, handlers, and consumers.

This final rule expands the contracting authority of the Beef Promotion and Research Order (Order). The Beef Research and Information Act (Act) requires that the Beef Promotion Operating Committee (BPOC) enter into contracts with established national non-profit industry- governed organizations including the Federation of State Beef Councils to implement programs of promotion, research, consumer information, and industry information. The Act does not define ``national non-profit industry governed organization,'' however, the Order states that these organizations must be governed by a board of directors representing the cattle or beef industry on a national basis and that they were active and ongoing prior to enactment of the Act. This final rule changes the date requirement in the Order so that organizations otherwise qualified could be eligible to contract with the BPOC for the implementation and conduct of Beef Checkoff programs if they have been active and ongoing for at least two years.

In accordance with the Federal Advisory Committee Act, as amended, (5 U.S.C. App.), the Agricultural Marketing Service (AMS) is announcing an upcoming meeting of the National Organic Standards Board (NOSB). Written public comments are invited in advance of the meeting, and the meeting will include scheduled time for oral comments from the public.

The Agricultural Marketing Service (AMS) of the Department of Agriculture (USDA) has revised the United States Standards for Grades of Grapefruit Juice. The grade standards for grapefruit juice have been changed to remove the parameters for maximum ``free and suspended pulp'' to account for advances in industry processing technology.

This rule establishes a minimum quality regulation for lots of pistachios imported into the United States. The regulation specifies maximum aflatoxin tolerance levels as well as mandatory aflatoxin testing and certification requirements. These import quality requirements are the same as or comparable to those in effect for the domestically produced commodity. Under this regulation, aflatoxin levels in imported pistachios may not exceed 15 parts per billion (ppb), as certified by aflatoxin inspection certificates issued by an accredited laboratory. This action is intended to assure consumers that all pistachios offered for sale in the United States meet the same aflatoxin standards, thus promoting high quality product in the market place and fostering consumer satisfaction.

On April 2, 2001, the U.S. Department of Agriculture (USDA), Agricultural Marketing Service (AMS) implemented the Livestock Mandatory Reporting (LMR) program as required by the Livestock Mandatory Reporting Act of 1999 (1999 Act). In October 2006, the LMR program was reauthorized by Congress through September 2010. On September 28, 2010, the Mandatory Price Reporting Act of 2010 (2010 Reauthorization Act) reauthorized LMR for an additional 5 years and added a provision for mandatory reporting of wholesale pork cuts. The 2010 Reauthorization Act directed the Secretary to engage in negotiated rulemaking to make required regulatory changes for mandatory wholesale pork reporting and establish a negotiated rulemaking committee to develop these changes. This final rule reflects the work of the USDA Wholesale Pork Reporting Negotiated Rulemaking Committee (Committee).

This document contains a correction to the final regulations published on June 6, 2012 (77 FR 33290). These regulations pertain to the 2012 Sunset Review of substances on the U.S. Department of Agriculture's (USDA) National List of Allowed and Prohibited Substances (National List). A technical error was inadvertently published in the final rule and requires correction. This document corrects the final regulations by revising the listing for ``colors'' at 7 CFR 205.606(d).

The Agricultural Marketing Service (AMS), of the Department of Agriculture (USDA), is proposing to revise the United States Standards for Grades of Almonds in the Shell. AMS received written requests from the produce industry to amend the standards to align inspection procedures for incoming inspections (based on the marketing order) and outgoing inspections (based on the grade standards). Therefore, AMS is proposing to change the determination of internal defects from count to weight.

This rule revises the primary inventory reserve capacity and the exemption provisions applicable to handler diversion activities prescribed under the marketing order for tart cherries (order). The order regulates the handling of tart cherries grown in the States of Michigan, New York, Pennsylvania, Oregon, Utah, Washington, and Wisconsin, and is administered locally by the Cherry Industry Administrative Board (Board). This action increases the volume of tart cherries that can be placed in the primary inventory reserve from 50 million pounds to 100 million pounds and revises exemption provisions by limiting diversion credits for new market development and market expansion activities to one year. These changes are intended to facilitate sales and lessen the impact of market expansion activities on volume restriction calculations.

This rule decreases the assessment rate established for the Avocado Administrative Committee (Committee) for the 2012-13 and subsequent fiscal periods from $0.37 to $0.25 per 55-pound bushel container of Florida avocados handled. The Committee locally administers the marketing order which regulates the handling of avocados grown in South Florida. 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 will remain in effect indefinitely unless modified, suspended, or terminated.

This final decision recommends adoption of a proposal to amend the Pool Plant provisions of the Mideast Federal milk marketing order to reflect that distributing plants physically located within the marketing area with a Class I utilization of at least 30 percent, and with combined route disposition and transfers of at least 50 percent distributed into Federal milk marketing areas, would be regulated as a Pool Distributing Plant under the terms of the order.

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 National Processed Raspberry Promotion, Research, and Information Program.

This rule establishes final free and restricted percentages for the 2011-12 crop year under the marketing order for tart cherries grown in the states of Michigan, New York, Pennsylvania, Oregon, Utah, Washington, and Wisconsin (order). The order is administered locally by the Cherry Industry Administrative Board (Board). This action establishes the proportion of tart cherries from the 2011 crop which may be handled in commercial outlets at 88 percent free and 12 percent restricted. These percentages should stabilize marketing conditions by adjusting supply to meet market demand and help improve grower returns.

The Agricultural Marketing Service (AMS) is proposing to amend the Cotton Board Rules and Regulations by increasing the value assigned to imported cotton for calculating supplemental assessments collected for use by the Cotton Research and Promotion Program. An amendment is required to adjust the assessments collected on imported cotton and the cotton content of imported products to be the same as those paid on domestically produced cotton. In addition, AMS proposes to change the Harmonized Tariff Schedule (HTS) statistical reporting numbers that were amended since the last assessment adjustment.