Department of Agriculture – Federal Register Recent Federal Regulation Documents

The Secretary hereby announces the availability of funding for cotton merchandisers under the Pandemic Assistance for Cotton Merchandisers (PACM) Program. PACM will be administered by the Agricultural Marketing Service (AMS) and is authorized by the Consolidated Appropriations Act, 2023. The funds are intended to reduce the economic impacts of COVID-19 and other supply chain disruptions that impacted cotton merchandisers. Interested entities may apply for program participation by submitting the application, and required supporting documentation, available on our website at www.ams.usda.gov/ services/warehouse/cotton-program.

In accordance with the Paperwork Reduction Act of 1995, 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.

We are revising the regulations concerning user fees that we charge for veterinary diagnostic services and for certain import- related and export-related services for live animals, animal products and byproducts, birds, germplasm, organisms, and vectors. We are removing the tables providing the individual fees from the regulations and posting them on an Animal and Plant Health Inspection Service website. The regulations instead specify the methodology (formula) used to calculate the fees (including imputed costs), and the fees will be updated using a notice-based process. Replacing the current user fee listings with a standardized methodology will increase transparency in the process of setting fee rates, align the regulations with other Agency practices, and allow us to streamline processes and reduce the number of rules needed and thus the time necessary in order to update the fees.

The Agricultural Marketing Service (AMS) withdraws a proposed rule recommended by the National Mango Board (Board) that would have adjusted the Mango Promotion, Research, and Information Order (Order) to allocate the seven foreign producer Board seats to the top five mango exporting countries, based on mango volume exported to the United States, with an additional seat allocated to the top exporting country, and one at-large seat. In addition, the proposal would have required no more than one Board member be employed by or be affiliated with the same company. After reviewing and considering the comments received, the proposed rule is being withdrawn.

This notice is announcing that the National Advisory Committee on Microbiological Criteria for Foods (NACMCF) will hold a virtual public meeting of the full Committee on August 30, 2023. The Committee will discuss and vote to adopt the following report: Cyclospora cayetanensis in Produce. The Committee will also provide an update on the Cronobacter spp. in Powdered Infant Formula charge.

In accordance with the Paperwork Reduction Act of 1995 the Rural Business-Cooperative Service (RBCS) announces its intention to request a revision of a currently approved information collection package for Voluntary Labeling Program for Biobased Products.

This agenda provides summary descriptions of significant and not significant regulations being developed in agencies of the U.S. Department of Agriculture (USDA) in conformance with Executive Orders (E.O.) 12866, ``Regulatory Planning and Review,'' 13563, ``Improving Regulation and Regulatory Review,'' and 14094, ``Modernizing Regulatory Review.'' The agenda also describes regulations affecting small entities as required by section 602 of the Regulatory Flexibility Act, Public Law 96-354. This agenda also identifies regulatory actions that are being reviewed in compliance with section 610(c) of the Regulatory Flexibility Act. We invite public comment on those actions as well as any regulation consistent with Executive Order 13563. USDA has attempted to list all regulations and regulatory reviews pending at the time of publication except for minor and routine or repetitive actions, but some may have been inadvertently missed. There is no legal significance to the omission of an item from this listing. Also, the dates shown for the steps of each action are estimated and are not commitments to act on or by the date shown. USDA's complete regulatory agenda is available online at www.reginfo.gov. Because publication in the Federal Register is mandated for the regulatory flexibility agendas required by the Regulatory Flexibility Act (5 U.S.C. 602), USDA's printed agenda entries include only: (1) Rules that are likely to have a significant economic impact on a substantial number of small entities; and (2) Rules identified for periodic review under section 610 of the Regulatory Flexibility Act.

This notice announces the U.S. Department of Agriculture, National Appeals Division's request for an extension and revision to a currently approved information collection for the Customer Service Survey.

A national public hearing is being held to consider and take evidence on proposals to amend the pricing formulas in the 11 Federal Milk Marketing Orders (FMMOs).

In accordance with the Paperwork Reduction Act (PRA) requirements, the Farm Service Agency (FSA) is requesting comments from all interested individuals and organizations on a new collection associated with the new automated FSA Online Loan Application for Direct Loan Making Program and Direct Loan ServicingPrimary. For both Direct Loan Making and Direct Loan ServicingPrimary, the collected information is used in eligibility and feasibility determinations for loan making and loan servicing actions. Future releases of the FSA Online Loan Application will provide additional functionality and components for Direct Loan Making & Direct Loan ServicingPrimary applications.

In accordance with the Paperwork Reduction Act of 1995, this notice announces the Animal and Plant Health Inspection Service's (APHIS') intention to request an extension of approval of an information collection associated with the reporting of plant pests and diseases, and APHIS conducting Asian Longhorn Beetle Program activities.

The Natural Resources Conservation Service (NRCS) Oregon State Office announces its intent to prepare a Watershed Plan and EIS for the Joint System Canal Project, located approximately 4 miles east of Eagle Point, in Jackson County, Oregon. The proposed Watershed Plan will examine alternatives through the EIS process for modernizing the Joint System Canal to improve agricultural water management. Medford Irrigation District (MID) is the sponsoring local organization for the project and Rogue River Valley Irrigation District (RRVID) is a partner organization. NRCS is requesting comments to identify significant issues, potential alternatives, and analyses relevant to the proposed action from all interested individuals, Federal and State agencies, and Tribes.

In accordance with the Paperwork Reduction Act of 1995, this notice invites the general public and other public agencies to comment on this proposed information collection. This collection is an extension, without change, of a previously approved collection for which approval will expire on September 30, 2023, for recognizing program sponsors' nutrition efforts in the Summer Food Service Program (SFSP) or the National School Lunch Program (NSLP) Seamless Summer Option (SSO).

In accordance with the Privacy Act of 1974, as amended, and the Office of Management and Budget and Budget (OMB) Circular No. A-108 Federal Agency Responsibilities for Review, Reporting, and Publication under the Privacy Act, the U.S. Department of Agriculture (USDA) proposes a new system of records for the information collected, created, and stored in the centralized omni-channel AskUSDA Contact Center. The purpose of this system is to provide industry standard customer service to respond to inquiries from the general public regarding programs and services provided by USDA. The system keeps track of the people asking questions for continuity of support and maintains a record of their interaction. The system provides multiple public channels like phone, email, and live chat. Also, the system maintains a common knowledge base across the organization that improves response consistency. This system also improves the efficiency of the Federal staff providing answers to public inquiry.

The Pacific Northwest National Scenic Trail Advisory Council will hold a public meeting according to the details shown below. The Council is authorized under the National Trails System Act (the Act) and operates in compliance with the Federal Advisory Committee Act (FACA). The purpose of the Council is to advise and make recommendations to the Secretary of Agriculture, through the Chief of the Forest Service, on matters relating to the Pacific Northwest National Scenic Trail as described in the Act.

The Agricultural Marketing Service (AMS) is revising the United States Standards for Soybeans by removing soybeans of other colors (SBOC) as an official factor. In addition, AMS is revising the table of Grade Limits and Breakpoints for Soybeans to reflect this change.

On May 18, 2023, the U.S. Department of Housing and Urban Development (HUD) and U.S. Department of Agriculture (USDA) published in the Federal Register a notice of preliminary determination entitled ``Adoption of Energy Efficiency Standards for New Construction of HUD- and USDA-Financed Housing: Preliminary Determination and of Comment,'' announcing the two agencies' joint preliminary determination, as required under section 481(d)(1) of the Energy Independence and Security Act of 2007 (EISA), that adoption of the 2021 IECC and ASHRAE 90.1-2019 code standards will not negatively affect the affordability and availability of housing for new construction of HUD and USDA housing covered by EISA and seeking public comment on the preliminary determination. The preliminary determination is the first step to ultimately requiring compliance with these standards in HUD and USDA housing covered by EISA. The notice provided for a 60-day comment period, which would have ended July 17, 2023. HUD has determined that a 21-day extension of the comment period, until August 7, 2023, is appropriate. This extension will allow interested persons additional time to analyze the preliminary determination and prepare their comments.

In accordance with the Paperwork Reduction Act of 1995, this notice announces the intention of the Rural Business-Cooperative Service, Rural Housing Service, and the Rural Utilities Service, agencies of the Rural Development mission area within the U.S. Department of Agriculture (USDA), hereinafter collectively referred to as the Agency to request approval for a new information collection in support of ascertaining the necessary budgetary criteria for planning and performing construction and other development work for facilities, housing and water and wastewater systems.