Department of Agriculture – Federal Register Recent Federal Regulation Documents

The U.S. Codex Office is sponsoring a public meeting on April 8, 2024. The objective of the public meeting is to provide information and receive public comments on agenda items and draft U.S. positions to be discussed at the 43rd Session of the Codex Committee on Methods of Analysis and Sampling (CCMAS) of the Codex Alimentarius Commission (CAC). CCMAS43 will be held in Budapest, Hungary, from May 13-May 18, 2024. The U.S. Manager for Codex Alimentarius and the Under Secretary for Trade and Foreign Agricultural Affairs recognize the importance of providing interested parties the opportunity to obtain background information on the 43rd Session of the CCMAS and to address items on the agenda.

We are giving notice of a meeting of the General Conference Committee (GCC or the Committee) of the National Poultry Improvement Plan (NPIP) and the NPIP's 46th Biennial Conference.

The Chef Ann Foundation (CAF) is a cooperative argreement recipient from the United States Department of Agriculture's (USDA's) Food and Nutrition Service (FNS). CAF plans to collect additional information from sub-grantees, based on an assessment and data report, which is beyond the information already approved under OMB Control Number: 0584-0512 (Expiration Date: July 31, 2025). FNS already has OMB approval for collection of information associated with these grants under the Uniform Grant Application for Non-Entitlement Discretionary Grants, as approved under OMB Control Number: 0584-0512. This notice solicits public comment on the additional information proposed for collection.

We are advising the public that the Animal and Plant Health Inspection Service has received a petition from Bayer U.S.-Crop Science seeking a determination of nonregulated status for maize (corn) event MON 95379 that has been developed using genetic engineering to produce two insecticidal proteins to protect against feeding damage caused by target lepidopteran pests. We are making the petition available for review and comment to help us identify potential issues and impacts that we may determine should be considered in our evaluation of the petition.

President Joe Biden has pledged that every American will have access to affordable, reliable, high-speed internet. Digital equity devices, skills and affordability that brings the internet to life are a critical part of that mission. As part of that work, the Rural Utilities Service (RUS, Agency), a Rural Development (RD) agency of the United States Department of Agriculture (USDA), announces the acceptance of applications under the Distance Learning and Telemedicine (DLT) grant program for fiscal year (FY) 2024, subject to the availability of funding. This notice is being issued prior to passage of a FY 2024 Appropriations Act in order to allow applicants sufficient time to leverage financing, prepare and submit their applications, and give the Agency time to process applications within FY 2024. Based on FY 2023 appropriated funding, the Agency estimates that approximately $60 million will be available for FY 2024. Successful applications will be selected by the Agency for funding and subsequently awarded to the extent that funding may ultimately be made available through appropriations. All applicants are responsible for any expenses incurred in developing their applications.

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 a revision of a currently approved collection to provide FNS and WIC State agencies with an ongoing/annual data set that can be used to assess State agencies' compliance with WIC vendor management requirements and estimate State agencies' progress in eliminating fraud, waste, and abuse.

In accordance with the Paperwork Reduction Act of 1995, this notice announces the Animal and Plant Health Inspection Service's intention to request approval of a new information collection associated with a study to understand knowledge and beliefs about translocation and release of wild pigs.

The Rural Utilities Service (RUS, Agency), a Rural Development (RD) agency of the United States Department of Agriculture (USDA), announced its acceptance of applications under the Rural eConnectivity (ReConnect) program for fiscal year (FY) 2024 in the Federal Register on February 21, 2024. This notice is extending the date by which applications can be submitted.

This proposed rule would revise the regulations concerning the composition of the Federal Subsistence Board (Board) by adding three public members nominated or recommended by federally recognized Tribal governments, requiring that those nominees have personal knowledge of and direct experience with subsistence uses in rural Alaska including Alaska Native subsistence uses, defining requirements used for the selection of the Board Chair, affirming the Secretaries' authority to replace members from the Board, and affirming the Secretaries' responsibility and oversight regarding Board decisions while incorporating a ratification requirement. In January 2022, the Department of the Interior (DOI) and the U.S. Department of Agriculture (USDA) held joint consultations with federally recognized Tribes of Alaska and various Tribal Consortia. Later during October-November 2022, DOI leadership and the Department of Commerce, National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration, held joint consultations with various Alaska Tribes regarding fisheries. Approximately 445 individual subsistence users and representatives from Alaska Native Tribes, Tribal consortia, Alaska Native organizations, and Native corporations participated in the consultations, and a majority of the commenters specifically requested increasing the number of public members to five and adding more voting members who represent Alaska Native Villages and have local knowledge and direct subsistence experience.

The Farm Service Agency (FSA) announces the revised loan volume eligibility criteria for existing lenders participating in the Preferred Lender Program (PLP) for FSA guaranteed loans or who have recently participated in PLP but lost that status due to loan volume requirements and wish to reapply. Due to decreased loan demand, many former PLP lenders, who would have otherwise been expected to have renewed their PLP status, have been unable to qualify for the renewal of their status in PLP within the past 5 years due solely to loan volume requirements. This document applies lower loan volume eligibility criteria to PLP lenders who renew their PLP status and to former PLP lenders who reapply for PLP status after losing that status because they were unable to renew due solely to decreased loan volume within the 5 years immediately preceding the date of this notice. FSA also announces the revised loan volume eligibility criteria for all lenders participating in the Certified Lender Program (CLP) for FSA guaranteed loans due to the same decreased loan demand discussed previously. This document applies less restrictive loan volume eligibility criteria to all lenders currently participating in the CLP program and lenders applying to participate in the CLP program.

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). 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.

This proposal invites comments on the modification of the membership of the Softwood Lumber Board (Board) established under the Softwood Lumber Research, Promotion, Consumer Education and Industry Information Order (Order). This action would modify the membership of the Board by adding the alternate position for certain seats and a public member. In addition, Harmonized Tariff Schedule (HTS) numbers for softwood lumber would be updated with the latest numbers from the U.S. International Trade Commission. The Board administers the Order with oversight by the U.S. Department of Agriculture (USDA).

The Rural Utilities Service (RUS, Agency), a Rural Development (RD) agency of the United States Department of Agriculture (USDA), announces acceptance of applications under the Rural eConnectivity (ReConnect) program for fiscal year (FY) 2024. These loan and grant funds will be awarded to qualified applicants to fund the costs of construction, improvement, or acquisition of facilities and equipment needed to provide broadband service.

FSIS is amending its regulations to exempt certain records maintained by its AssuranceNet (ANet) system of records from the notification and access provisions of the Privacy Act of 1974 (Privacy Act). FSIS is taking this action because ANet contains information directly associated with investigations conducted by FSIS for law enforcement purposes.

The Pacific Northwest National Scenic Trail Advisory Council will hold public meetings 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 (PNT) as described in the Act.

We are advising the public that we have prepared a final environmental assessment and finding of no significant impact relative to permitting the release of the insect Psyllaephagus euphyllurae for biological control of olive psyllid (Euphyllura olivina) in the contiguous United States. Based on our finding of no significant impact, we have determined that an environmental impact statement need not be prepared.