Department of Agriculture – Federal Register Recent Federal Regulation Documents

In accordance with the Paperwork Reduction Act of 1995, 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, ``Livestock, Poultry, and Grain Market News'' (OMB 0581-0033).

We are reopening the comment period for our proposed rule that would amend disease regulations to provide a National List of Reportable Animal Diseases (NLRAD). Our proposed rule would have required animal health professionals suspecting or diagnosing incidences of animal diseases or disease agents classified as ``notifiable'' in the NLRAD to immediately report to both State and Federal officials. During the comment period for the proposed rule, however, several commenters raised concerns regarding the confidentiality of information reported under NLRAD, and that the Animal and Plant Health Inspection Service does not have the ability to provide Federal assurances of such confidentiality for information reported to States. In light of the validity of this concern, we are proposing a possible modification to our proposed rule to no longer require reporting to State officials; other existing Federal, State, and local disease reporting requirements would be unaffected, however. We are reopening the comment period for our proposed rule to provide interested persons with an opportunity to prepare and submit comments regarding this possible modification to the proposed rule.

This rule finalizes establishment of the Dairy Donation Program as required by the Consolidated Appropriations Act of 2021. Under the program, eligible dairy organizations that account to a Federal milk marketing order and incur a qualified expense related to certain dairy product donations may apply for and receive reimbursements for those donations. The program facilitates dairy product donations and minimizes food waste. The program works in tandem with the Milk Donation Reimbursement Program, and thus this rule also makes corresponding changes to those regulations.

This action implements statutory requirements and policy improvements to strengthen administrative oversight and operational performance of the Child Nutrition Programs.

We are advising the public that we have prepared a pest risk analysis that evaluates the risks associated with importation of fresh table beet root (Beta vulgaris L.) for consumption from the United Kingdom into the continental United States, Hawaii, Puerto Rico, and the U.S. Virgin Islands. Based on the analysis, we have determined that the application of one or more designated phytosanitary measures will be sufficient to mitigate the risks of introducing or disseminating plant pests or noxious weeds via the importation of fresh table beet root from the United Kingdom. We are making the pest risk analysis available to the public for review and comment.

We propose to amend the horse protection regulations to provide that the Animal and Plant Health Inspection Service (APHIS) will screen, train, and authorize qualified persons to conduct inspections at horse shows, horse exhibitions, horse sales, and horse auctions to ensure compliance with the Horse Protection Act (the Act). The proposed actions are intended to strengthen regulatory requirements to protect horses from the practice of soring and eliminate unfair competition as the Act requires.

In accordance with the Paperwork Reduction Act of 1995, this notice announces the intention of the Foreign Agricultural Service to extend the currently approved information collection for the USDA's Pima Agriculture Cotton Trust Fund.

FSIS is amending the poultry products inspection regulations to rescind several regulations related to the inspection and condemnation of poultry carcasses affected with any of the forms of avian leukosis complex.

The Agricultural Marketing Service (AMS) is amending the Cotton Board Rules and Regulations, increasing the value assigned to imported cotton for the purposes of calculating supplemental assessments collected for use by the Cotton Research and Promotion Program. This amendment is required each year to ensure that assessments collected on imported cotton and the cotton content of imported products will be the same as those paid on domestically produced cotton. In addition, AMS is updating the Harmonized Tariff Schedule (HTS) statistical reporting numbers that were amended since the last assessment adjustment in 2022.

We are proposing to update and amend the user fee regulations associated with the agricultural quarantine and inspection (AQI) program. Specifically, we propose to adjust the fees for certain AQI services that are provided in connection with certain commercial vessels, commercial trucks, commercial railroad cars, commercial aircraft, and international passengers arriving at ports in the customs territory of the United States; adjust the caps on prepaid fees associated with commercial trucks and commercial railroad cars; remove certain fee exemptions that are no longer justifiable based upon pathway analyses of risk; and restructure the treatment monitoring fee. We would also revise requirements pertaining to remittances and statements. Specifically, we would require monthly rather than quarterly remittances for the commercial aircraft fee, international air passenger fee, and international cruise passenger fee to make our revenue stream more stable, clarify our requirements, and provide for electronic payments and statements. We would also include in the regulations information on agents responsible for ensuring compliance with paying the user fees and the requirement for entities to notify APHIS in the event they have a change in personnel responsible for fee payments. These proposed changes are necessary to recover the costs of the current level of AQI activity, to account for actual and projected increases in the cost of doing business, to increase fee payer accountability, and to more accurately align fees with the costs associated with each fee service.

The Idaho Panhandle Resource Advisory Committee (RAC) will hold a public meeting according to the details shown below. The committee is authorized under the Secure Rural Schools and Community Self-Determination Act (the Act) and operates in compliance with the Federal Advisory Committee Act (FACA), as amended. The purpose of the committee is to improve collaborative relationships and to provide advice and recommendations to the Forest Service concerning projects and funding consistent with Title II of the Act, as well as to make recommendations on recreation fee proposals for sites on the Idaho Panhandle National Forests within Boundary, Bonner, Kootenai, Shoshone, or Benewah County, consistent with the Federal Lands Recreation Enhancement Act.

The Black Hills National Forest Advisory Board will hold a public meeting according to the details shown below. The Board is authorized under the Forest and Rangeland Renewable Resources Planning Act of 1974, the National Forest Management Act of 1976, the Federal Lands Recreation Enhancement Act, and operates in compliance with the Federal Advisory Committee Act (FACA), as amended. The purpose of the Board is to provide advice and recommendations on a broad range of forest issues such as forest plan revisions or amendments, forest health including fire, insect and disease, travel management, forest monitoring and evaluation, recreation fees, and site-specific projects having forest-wide implications.

In accordance with the Paperwork Reduction Act of 1995 and Office of Management and Budget (OMB) regulations, this notice announces the National Institute of Food and Agriculture's (NIFA) intention to extend and revise a previously approved information collection entitled, ``Research, Education, and Extension project online reporting tool (REEport).'' NIFA is proposing to modify the collection in response to the August 25, 2022, Office of Science and Technology Policy Memorandum and audit findings of the USDA Office of Inspector General.

The Forest Service (Forest Service or Agency), U.S. Department of Agriculture, provides direction to employees through issuances in its Directive System, comprised of the Forest Service Manual and Forest Service Handbooks. The Agency must provide public notice of and opportunity to comment on any directives that formulate standards, criteria, or guidelines applicable to Forest Service programs. Once per quarter, the Agency provides advance notice of proposed and interim directives that will be made available for public comment during the next three months and notice of final directives issued in the last three months.

Pursuant to the Federal Advisory Committee Act, this constitutes notice of the upcoming meeting of the Grain Inspection Advisory Committee (Advisory Committee). The Advisory Committee meets no less than once annually to advise the Secretary on the programs and services delivered by the Agricultural Marketing Service (AMS) under the U.S. Grain Standards Act. Recommendations by the Advisory Committee help AMS meet the needs of its customers, who operate in a dynamic and changing marketplace.