Agricultural Marketing Service – Federal Register Recent Federal Regulation Documents

The Agricultural Marketing Service (AMS) of the Department of Agriculture (USDA) is soliciting comments on its proposal to revise the U.S. Standards for Grades of Frozen Corn on the Cob (July 27, 1970). AMS is proposing to replace the two-term grading system (dual nomenclature) with a single term to describe each quality level in the grade standards. Terms using the letter grade would be retained and the descriptive term would be eliminated. Editorial changes would also be made to the grade standards that conform to recent changes made in other grade standards, returning previously omitted headers and language, and adding language to bring the standards up to date with current industry practices. These changes would bring the grade standards in line with the present quality levels being marketed today and provide guidance in the effective use of these products.

This proposed rule would modify the handling regulation prescribed under the marketing order for pears grown in Oregon and Washington (Order). This action would decrease the maximum acceptable pressure for early season Beurre D'Anjou (Anjou) variety pears shipped throughout the Continental United States and to Canada. In addition, this rule would remove the handling requirement exemption for small shipments of Anjou pears.

On July 7, 2020, the Agricultural Marketing Service amended regulations under the Federal Seed Act. The document incorrectly revised the entries for ``Oat'' and ``Brussels Sprouts'' in the table that specifies directions for germination and hard seed testing. This document corrects those entries.

This document directs that a referendum be conducted among eligible producers of oranges, grapefruit, tangerines, and pummelos grown in Florida to determine whether they favor continuance of the marketing order regulating the handling of oranges, grapefruit, tangerines, and pummelos produced in the production area.

This final rule adjusts representation on the American Egg Board (Board), and outlines changes to geographic areas based on sustained changes in egg production in several States. The Egg Research and Promotion Order (Order) establishes a Board composed of 18 members. Currently, the 48 contiguous States are divided into six areas with three members representing each area. This final rule reduces the number of geographic areas from six to three. The number of Board members representing each geographic area changes to six. The total Board membership remains at 18.

AMS solicits comments on proposed amendments to the Lamb Promotion, Research, and Information Order (Order). These amendments would require market agencies (e.g. commission merchant, auction market, livestock market) in the business of receiving lambs to collect and remit on behalf of the producer, feeder, or seedstock producer, the ``live-weight'' assessment on ovine animals sold and the ``price-per- head'' assessment owed by the first handler when lambs are sold through these channels. Market agencies would remit the full assessment to the American Lamb Board (Board) when ovine animals are sold. This proposed rule would also make technical amendments to the Order, correcting references to assessment rates that were inadvertently not updated during the previous amendment to the Order.

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 (OMB) for an extension of the currently approved information collection used to compile and generate the Federally Inspected Estimated Daily Slaughter Report. Upon approval of this information collection, AMS will request approval from the OMB to merge this collection, ``Plan for Estimating Daily Livestock Slaughter Under Federal Inspection'' (OMB 0581-0050), with the currently approved information collection titled ``Livestock, Poultry, and Grain Market News'' (OMB 0186-0033). Both collections are directed and authorized by the Agricultural Marketing Act of 1946 (7 U.S.C. 1621-1627), and rely on voluntary cooperation with the livestock industry to collect and disseminate marketing information, utilizing the same information gathering tactics.

The United States Department of Agriculture's (USDA) Agricultural Marketing Service (AMS) is proposing a revision to the method of interpretation for the determining the special grade ``Green,'' in the Pea and Lentil Inspection Handbook, as it pertains to the class ``Lentils,'' in the U.S. Standards for Lentils under the United States Agricultural Marketing Act (AMA). Stakeholders in the lentil processing/handling industry requested AMS to amend the definition of the special grade ``Green'' to allow for the inclusion of mottled lentils. To ensure that the Lentil standards remain relevant, AMS invites interested parties to comment on whether revising the inspection instructions facilitate the marketing of Lentils. This action will revise or amend the Grade and Grade Requirements for Lentils in the U.S. Standard for Lentils.

This proposal invites comments on the establishment of the Pecan Research, Promotion, and Information Order (Order). The purpose of the program would be to strengthen the position of pecans in the marketplace, maintain and expand markets for pecans, and develop new uses for pecans. The program would be financed by an assessment on pecan producers and importers. This proposal also invites comments on the procedures for conducting a referendum to determine whether the continuation of the proposed Order is favored by domestic producers and importers of pecans. In addition, this proposal 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.

This rule realigns the representation on the National Watermelon Promotion Board (Board) under the Agricultural Marketing Service's (AMS) regulations regarding a national research and promotion program for watermelons. This rule reduces the number of production districts and the number of importers on the Board, accordingly. This rule also makes administrative changes to other provisions of the Watermelon Research and Promotion Plan (Plan).

This document directs that a referendum be conducted among eligible producers of onions grown in South Texas to determine whether they favor continuance of the marketing order regulating the handling of onions produced in the production area.

This document directs that a referendum be conducted among eligible domestic manufacturers and importers of paper and paper-based packaging to determine whether they favor continuance of the Agricultural Marketing Service's (AMS) regulations regarding a national paper and paper-based packaging research and promotion program.

This proposed rule would implement a recommendation from the California Walnut Board (Board) to change the reporting requirements prescribed under the Federal marketing order regulating the handling of walnuts grown in California. This action would require California walnut handlers to report purchase commitments (walnuts sold but not yet shipped) with domestic and foreign buyers on a monthly basis. This action should provide more accurate information about supply and demand to industry, which would also enhance marketing efforts.

The Agricultural Marketing Service (AMS) is announcing the designation of Mid-Iowa Grain Inspection, Inc. (Mid-Iowa), to provide official services under the United States Grain Standards Act (USGSA), as amended.

This recommended decision proposes amendments to Marketing Order No. 984 (Order), which regulates the handling of walnuts grown in California. The proposed amendments are based on the record of a public hearing held via videoconference technology on April 20 and 21, 2020. The California Walnut Board (Board), which locally administers the Order, recommended proposed amendments that would add authority for the Board to provide credit for certain market promotion expenses paid by handlers against their annual assessments due under the Order and establish requirements to effectuate the new authority. In addition, the Agricultural Marketing Service (AMS) proposed to make any such changes as may be necessary to conform to any amendment that may result from the public hearing.

The United States Department of Agriculture (USDA) Agricultural Marketing Service (AMS) proposes amending the USDA organic regulations to strengthen oversight and enforcement of the production, handling, and sale of organic agricultural products. The proposed amendments are intended to protect integrity in the organic supply chain and build consumer and industry trust in the USDA organic label by strengthening organic control systems, improving farm to market traceability, and providing robust enforcement of the USDA organic regulations. Topics addressed in this proposed rule include: Applicability of the regulations and exemptions from organic certification; National Organic Program Import Certificates; recordkeeping and product traceability; certifying agent personnel qualifications and training; standardized certificates of organic operation; unannounced on-site inspections of certified operations; oversight of certification activities; foreign conformity assessment systems; certification of grower group operations; labeling of nonretail containers; annual update requirements for certified operations; compliance and appeals processes; and calculating organic content of multi-ingredient products.

This rule changes the eligibility requirements for nominees representing domestic manufacturers on the Softwood Lumber Board (Board) under the Agricultural Marketing Service's (AMS) regulations regarding a national research and promotion program for softwood lumber. This change will help facilitate program operations.

The Agricultural Marketing Service (AMS) of the Department of Agriculture (USDA) is soliciting comments and feedback on recommendations to update the List of Bioengineered Foods (List) as it pertains to the National Bioengineered Food Disclosure Standard (Standard).

This final rule implements a recommendation from the Far West Spearmint Oil Administrative Committee (Committee) to increase the assessment rate established for the 2020-2021 and subsequent marketing years. The assessment rate will remain in effect indefinitely unless modified, suspended, or terminated.

The U.S. Department of Agriculture (USDA) is adopting a final rule to amend the procedural regulations governing proceedings to formulate or amend Marketing Agreements and Marketing Orders. This final rule adopts a provision to allow the agency to utilize alternative procedures for conducting a rulemaking proceeding as outlined in a notice of hearing.

This rule implements a recommendation from the Cherry Industry Administrative Board (Board) to establish free and restricted percentages for the 2019-20 crop year pursuant to the marketing order for tart cherries grown in the states of Michigan, New York, Pennsylvania, Oregon, Utah, Washington, and Wisconsin. This action establishes the proportion of tart cherries from the 2019-20 crop that may be handled in commercial outlets. This action should stabilize marketing conditions by adjusting supply to meet market demand and help improve grower returns. Also, a correction is made to section 930.151 to reflect the correct desirable carry-out inventory not to exceed a maximum of 100 million pounds (81 FR 63676).

This final rule adjusts representation on the Cattlemen's Beef Promotion and Research Board (Board), established under the Beef Promotion and Research Act of 1985 (Act), to reflect changes in domestic cattle inventories as well as changes in levels of imported cattle, beef, and beef products that have occurred since the Board was last reapportioned in July 2017. These adjustments are required by the Beef Promotion and Research Order (Order) and will result in an increase in Board membership from 99 to 101, effective with the Secretary of Agriculture's (Secretary) appointments for terms beginning early in the year 2021.

This final rule amends Marketing Order No. 932, which regulates the handling of olives grown in California. The amendment, which was proposed by the California Olive Committee (Committee), was approved by producers in a referendum. This action revises the marketing order's quorum requirement and makes a clarifying change stating that alternate members acting as members to form a quorum would also be eligible to cast votes.

The Agricultural Marketing Service (AMS) of the Department of Agriculture (USDA) is revising the U.S. Standards for Grades of Topped Carrots, U.S. Standards for Grades of Bunched Carrots, and U.S. Standards for Grades of Carrots with Short Trimmed Tops. AMS is adding more U.S. No. 1 grades to accommodate carrots of colors other than orange, orange red, and orange scarlet. The current U.S. No. 1 grades will remain unchanged. In addition, AMS is removing the Unclassified section and renumbering sections due to the additional grades.

This notice announces the conclusion of a pilot test of the International Trade Data System (ITDS) involving the electronic submission of data related to importations of fruits, vegetables, and specialty crops. The Agricultural Marketing Service (AMS) regulates imports of the food commodities and is engaged in a partnership with U.S. Customs and Border Protection (CBP) and other government agencies to test the Partner Government Agency (PGA) Message Set component of the Automated Commercial Environment (ACE). The submission of this import information is required under section 608e (section 8e-1) of the Agricultural Marketing Agreement Act of 1937. The pilot program tested the electronic transmission of data related to AMS's responsibilities through CBP's ACE known as the PGA Message Set to AMS's Compliance Enforcement Management System (CEMS).