Title 7 published on 2012-01-01
The following are only the Rules published in the Federal Register after the published date of Title 7.
For a complete list of all Rules, Proposed Rules, and Notices view the Rulemaking tab.
The U.S. Department of Agriculture (USDA) is amending the Guidelines for Designating Biobased Products for Federal Procurement, to add 12 sections to designate product categories within which biobased products will be afforded Federal procurement preference, as provided for under section 9002 of the Farm Security and Rural Investment Act of 2002, as amended by the Food, Conservation, and Energy Act of 2008 (referred to in this document as “section 9002”). USDA is also establishing minimum biobased contents for each of these product categories.
This rule updates our regulations to show a list of institutions that are granted HSACU certification by the Secretary and are eligible for HSACU programs for the period starting October 1, 2012 and ending September 30, 2013.
This final rule clarifies a provision of the Organic Foods Production Act of 1990 and the regulations issued thereunder that requires periodic residue testing of organically produced agricultural products by accredited certifying agents. The final rule amends the U.S. Department of Agriculture's (USDA) National Organic Program (NOP) regulations to make clear that accredited certifying agents must conduct periodic residue testing of agricultural products that are to be sold, labeled, or represented as “100 percent organic,” “organic,” or “made with organic (specified ingredients or food group(s)).” The final rule expands the amount of residue testing of organically produced agricultural products by clarifying that sampling and testing are required on a regular basis. The final rule requires that certifying agents, on an annual basis, sample and conduct residue testing from a minimum of five percent of the operations that they certify. This action will help further ensure the integrity of products produced and handled under the NOP regulations.
In accordance with the Agricultural Bioterrorism Protection Act of 2002, we are amending and republishing the list of select agents and toxins that have the potential to pose a severe threat to animal or plant health, or to animal or plant products. The Act requires the biennial review and republication of the list of select agents and toxins and the revision of the list as necessary. This action implements the findings of the third biennial review of the list. In addition, we are reorganizing the list of select agents and toxins based on the relative potential of each select agent or toxin to be misused to adversely affect human, plant, or animal health. Such tiering of the list allows for the optimization of security measures for those select agents or toxins that present the greatest risk of deliberate misuse with the most significant potential for mass casualties or devastating effects to the economy, critical infrastructure, or public confidence. We are also making a number of amendments to the regulations, including the addition of definitions and clarification of language concerning security, training, biosafety, biocontainment, and incident response. These changes will increase the usability of the select agent regulations as well as provide for enhanced program oversight.
We are adopting as a final rule, with several changes, an interim rule that quarantined the States of Florida and Georgia, Puerto Rico, the U.S. Virgin Islands, two parishes in Louisiana, and two counties in South Carolina due to the presence of citrus greening and quarantined Alabama, Florida, Georgia, Guam, Hawaii, Louisiana, Mississippi, Puerto Rico, Texas, the U.S. Virgin Islands, three counties in South Carolina, portions of one county in Arizona, and all of three and portions of an additional three counties in California due to the presence of Asian citrus psyllid (ACP), a vector of the bacterial pathogen that causes citrus greening. The rule also established restrictions on the interstate movement of regulated articles from the quarantined areas. In this final rule, we are making several nonsubstantive editorial amendments to the interim rule to improve its clarity and facilitate regulatory compliance. This final rule also provides notice that we have quarantined American Samoa and the Northern Mariana Islands for ACP, have extended the boundaries of the quarantined area for ACP in California to incorporate all of one and portions of another additional county, and have quarantined portions of one county in Texas and an area comprising portions of two counties in California for citrus greening.
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.
The Federal Crop Insurance Corporation (FCIC) finalizes the Common Crop Insurance Regulations, Prune Crop Insurance Provisions. The intended effect of this action is to provide policy changes and clarify existing policy provisions to better meet the needs of insured producers, and to reduce vulnerability to program fraud, waste, and abuse. The changes will apply for the 2013 and succeeding crop years.
We are adopting as a final rule, without change, an interim rule that amended the Asian longhorned beetle regulations by adding portions of Worcester County, MA, and Clermont County, OH, to the list of quarantined areas and by removing a portion of Suffolk County, NY, from the list of quarantined areas. The interim rule was necessary to prevent the artificial spread of Asian longhorned beetle to noninfested areas of the United States and to relieve restrictions on certain areas that were no longer necessary.
We are adopting as a final rule, without change, an interim rule that amended the plum pox regulations to provide for the payment of compensation to eligible owners of non-fruit-bearing ornamental tree nurseries and to increase the amount of compensation that may be paid to eligible owners of commercial stone fruit orchards and fruit tree nurseries whose trees are required to be destroyed in order to prevent the spread of plum pox. The interim rule also provided updated instructions for the submission of claims for compensation. These changes were necessary to provide adequate compensation to persons who are economically affected by the plum pox quarantine and the associated State and Federal eradication efforts.
In a final rule that was published in the Federal Register on July 20, 2012, and effective on August 20, 2012, we amended the phytosanitary treatment regulations to, among other things, allow for irradiation treatment of mangoes from India upon arrival in the mainland United States rather than just at the point of origin. In the final rule, we neglected to amend the inspection requirements to address shipments that are treated upon arrival in the United States and not at the point of origin. This document corrects that error.
This final rule amends the U.S. Department of Agriculture's (USDA) National List of Allowed and Prohibited Substances (National List) to enact one recommendation submitted to the Secretary of Agriculture (Secretary) by the National Organic Standards Board (NOSB) on April 29, 2010. This final rule revises the annotation for one substance on the National List, methionine, to reduce the maximum levels of synthetic methionine allowed in organic poultry production after October 1, 2012. This final rule permits the use of synthetic methionine at the following maximum levels per ton of feed after October 1, 2012: laying and broiler chickens—2 pounds; turkeys and all other poultry—3 pounds. This action also corrects the Chemical Abstracts Service (CAS) numbers for the allowable forms of synthetic methionine.
The Federal Crop Insurance Corporation (FCIC) finalizes the Common Crop Insurance Regulations, Peach Crop Insurance Provisions. The intended effect of this action is to provide policy changes, to clarify existing policy provisions to better meet the needs of insured producers, and to reduce vulnerability to program fraud, waste, and abuse. The changes will apply for the 2013 and succeeding crop years.
This rule revises the reporting requirements currently prescribed under the marketing order that regulates the handling of cranberries grown in the States of Massachusetts, Rhode Island, Connecticut, New Jersey, Wisconsin, Michigan, Minnesota, Oregon, Washington, and Long Island in the State of New York (order). The order is administered locally by the Cranberry Marketing Committee (Committee). This rule changes the dates covered by the third reporting period and the date by which the Handler Inventory Report (Form HIR) is due to the Committee. These changes will help ensure the Committee has current and complete information available for its discussions during its annual August meeting, while providing handlers sufficient time to submit their reports.
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.
The Agricultural Marketing Service (AMS) is amending 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 is changing the Harmonized Tariff Schedule (HTS) statistical reporting numbers that were amended since the last assessment adjustment.
This document sets forth the revised appendices to the Dairy Tariff-Rate Import Quota Licensing Regulation for the 2012 quota year reflecting the cumulative annual transfers from Appendix 1 to Appendix 2 for certain dairy product import licenses permanently surrendered by licensees or revoked by the Licensing Authority.
This rule increases the assessment rate established for the California Olive Committee (Committee) for 2012 and subsequent fiscal years from $16.61 to $31.32 per assessable ton of olives handled. The Committee locally administers the marketing order which regulates the handling of olives grown in California. Assessments upon olive handlers are used by the Committee to fund reasonable and necessary expenses of the program. The fiscal year began January 1 and ends December 31. The assessment rate will remain in effect indefinitely unless modified, suspended, or terminated.
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.
This final rule amends the Pool Plant provisions of the Mideast Federal milk marketing order regulating 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, as Pool Distributing Plants under the terms of the order. More than the required number of producers for the Mideast marketing area approved the issuance of the final order as amended.
This final rule suspends indefinitely the Farm Service Agency (FSA) regulation requiring end-use certificates and tracking of wheat produced in Canada that enters the United States. This action is being taken in response to the discontinuation of Canada's end-use certificate program. As a result of these changes, importers and end-users of Canadian produced wheat are no longer required to provide FSA end-use certificates or consumption and resale reports on wheat produced in Canada.
This rulemaking establishes the requirements regarding the allocation of administrative funds for the Food Distribution Program on Indian Reservations and the Food Distribution Program for Indian Households in Oklahoma, both of which are referred to as “FDPIR” in this rulemaking. The rulemaking amends FDPIR regulations to ensure that administrative funding is allocated in a fair and equitable manner. The final rule also revises FDPIR regulations to clarify current program requirements relative to the distribution of administrative funds to Indian Tribal Organizations (ITOs) and State agencies.
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 final rule codifies the provisions of a proposed rule published on December 8, 2006, regarding prisoner verification and death matching procedures mandated by legislation and previously implemented through agency directive. This rule also requires State agencies to use electronic disqualified recipient data to screen all program applicants prior to certification to assure they are not currently disqualified from program participation. Finally, this final rule implements procedures concerning State agencies', participation in a computer matching program using a system of records required by the Computer Matching and Privacy Protection Act of 1988, as amended.
This final rule amends the U.S. Department of Agriculture's (USDA's) National List of Allowed and Prohibited Substances (National List) to enact recommendations submitted to the Secretary of Agriculture (Secretary) by the National Organic Standards Board (NOSB) on October 28, 2010, and April 29, 2011. This final rule amends the annotation for tetracycline for use in organic crop production and adds two substances: formic acid and attapulgite, along with any restrictive annotations, for use in organic livestock production and organic processing, respectively.
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).
This rule increases the assessment rate established for the Florida Tomato Committee (Committee) for the 2011-12 and subsequent fiscal periods from $0.0275 to $0.037 per 25-pound carton of tomatoes handled. The Committee locally administers the marketing order which regulates the handling of tomatoes grown in Florida. Assessments upon tomato handlers are used by the Committee to fund reasonable and necessary expenses of the program. The fiscal period begins August 1 and ends July 31. The assessment rate will remain in effect indefinitely unless modified, suspended, or terminated.
The Rural Utilities Service (RUS) is amending its regulations related to the Section 306C Water and Waste Disposal (WWD) Loans and Grants Program, which provides water and waste disposal facilities and services to low-income rural communities whose residents face significant health risks. Specifically, RUS is modifying the priority points system in order to give additional priority points to the colonias that lack access to water or waste disposal systems and face significant health problems. The intent is to ensure that the neediest areas receive funding.
We are amending the phytosanitary treatment regulations to provide generic criteria for new irradiation treatment facilities in the Southern States of the United States. This action will allow irradiation facilities to be located anywhere in these States, subject to approval, rather than only in the currently approved locations. We are also amending the regulations to allow for the irradiation treatment of certain imported fruit from India and Thailand upon arrival in the United States. This action will facilitate the importation of fruit requiring irradiation treatment while continuing to provide protection against the introduction of pests of concern into the United States.
The U.S. Department of Agriculture published a final rule in the Federal Register on May 17, 2012 (77 FR 29474). This document corrects the final regulations by revising these sections.
The Farm Service Agency (FSA) is revising its disaster designation regulations, with minor changes from the proposed rule. The rule simplifies procedures for Secretarial designations of disaster areas. This rule includes provisions for nearly automatic disaster designation in the case of severe drought. The rule also provides procedures FSA may use to delegate disaster designation authority to FSA State level officials. The rule removes the requirement that a State Governor or Indian Tribal Council must request a Secretarial disaster designation before a designation can be made. Also, this rule moves the disaster designation regulations to the same chapter of the Code of Federal Regulations (CFR) as the FSA Emergency Loan (EM) Program regulations. FSA expects that the simplified process will result in faster designations of disaster areas, and result in more timely disaster assistance.
Rural Development is amending its regulations to address the change in the standard maximum deposit insurance amount under the Federal Deposit Insurance Corporation (FDIC).
This final rule implements a change in the regulations for the United States Department of Agriculture (USDA), Rural Housing Service (RHS) Section 502 Single Family Housing Guaranteed Loan Program (SFHGLP) (also referred to as “Agency”) by requiring an annual fee for all loan obligations. This action is taken to implement authorities granted the Secretary of the USDA, in Sec. 102 of the Supplemental Appropriations Act, 2010 to collect from the lender an annual fee not to exceed 0.5 percent of the outstanding principal balance of the loan for the life of the loan. The primary intent of the annual fee is to make the SFHGLP subsidy neutral when used in conjunction with the one-time up-front guarantee fee, thus eliminating the need for taxpayer support of the program at its current loan level.
This rule makes a number of miscellaneous amendments to delegations of authority by adding new authorities, correcting references, and removing obsolete authorities.
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.
Through this action, the Rural Housing Service (RHS) is amending its regulation to change the Reserve Account for new construction for the Sections 514/516 Farm Labor Housing (FLH) program and the Section 515 Rural Rental Housing (RRH) program. This action will not affect reserve accounts for existing portfolios.
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.
On June 6, 2012, AMS published a final rule to address substances due to sunset from the U.S. Department of Agriculture's National List of Allowed and Prohibited Substances (National List) in 2012. This final rule amended two listings for pectin on the National List effective June 27, 2012.
We are amending the plants for planting regulations to provide conditions for the importation into the continental United States of Dracaena spp. plants from Costa Rica. These conditions will apply to plants less than 460 mm in length, which are currently allowed to be imported, and will also allow for the importation of plants over 460 mm and up to 1,371.6 mm in length, which are currently prohibited. As a condition of entry, Dracaena spp. plants from Costa Rica will have to be produced in accordance with integrated pest risk management measures that will include requirements for registration of place of production and packinghouses, a pest management plan, inspection for quarantine pests, sanitation, and traceability from place of production through the packing and export facility and to the port of entry into the United States. All Dracaena spp. plants from Costa Rica will also be required to be accompanied by a phytosanitary certificate with an additional declaration stating that all conditions for the importation of the plants have been met and that the consignment of plants has been inspected and found free of quarantine pests. This action will allow for the importation of oversized Dracaena spp. plants from Costa Rica into the United States while continuing to provide protection against the introduction of quarantine pests.
This final rule amends Marketing Agreement and Order No. 987 (order), which regulates the handling of domestic dates produced or packed in Riverside County, California. The amendments approved by producers in referendum were proposed by the California Date Administrative Committee (CDAC or committee), which is responsible for local administration of the order. The amendments are intended to improve administration of and compliance with the order and reflect current industry practices. Two amendments proposed by the Agricultural Marketing Service (AMS) were not approved in referendum.
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.
This final rule amends Marketing Agreement and Order No. 983 (order), which regulates the handling of pistachios grown in California, Arizona, and New Mexico. The amendments were proposed by the Administrative Committee for Pistachios (Committee), which is responsible for local administration of the order. The amendments will provide authority to establish aflatoxin and quality regulations for pistachios shipped to export markets, including authority to establish different regulations for different markets; change a related section of the order concerning substandard pistachios to conform to the proposed addition of export authority; and correct an erroneous cross-reference to another section of the order. These amendments are intended to provide authority to ensure uniform and consistent aflatoxin and quality regulations in the domestic and various export markets.
The Rural Utilities Service (RUS) is issuing regulations related to loans and grants to finance the construction, acquisition, or improvement of infrastructure projects in Substantially Underserved Trust Areas (SUTA). The intent is to implement Section 306F of the Rural Electrification Act by providing the process by which eligible applicants may apply for funding by the agency.
We are amending the fruits and vegetables regulations to allow the importation of tomatoes from the member States of the Economic Community of West African States (ECOWAS) into the continental United States. As a condition of entry, tomatoes from the ECOWAS will be subject to a systems approach that includes requirements for pest exclusion at the production site, fruit fly trapping and monitoring, and procedures for packing the tomatoes. The tomatoes will also be required to be accompanied by a phytosanitary certificate issued by the national plant protection organization of the exporting country with an additional declaration that the tomatoes have been produced in accordance with these requirements. This action will allow for the importation of tomatoes from the ECOWAS into the continental United States while continuing to provide protection against the introduction of quarantine pests.
The Natural Resources Conservation Service (NRCS), United States Department of Agriculture (USDA) issues this final rule amending NRCS' informal appeal procedures as required by Title II of the Federal Crop Insurance Reform and Department of Agriculture Reorganization Act of 1994 (the 1994 Act). This final rule amends regulations promulgated by the interim final rule published on May 16, 2006, and also includes new language to address comments and make procedural and structural changes in relation to 6 years of implementation.
The Agricultural Marketing Service (AMS) will maintain user fees for cotton producers for 2012 crop cotton classification services under the Cotton Statistics and Estimates Act and the Cotton Standards Act of 1923 at $2.20 per bale—the same level as in 2011. This fee and the existing reserve are sufficient to cover the costs of providing classification services for the 2012 crop, including costs for administration and supervision.
This final rule addresses recommendations submitted to the Secretary of Agriculture (Secretary) by the National Organic Standards Board (NOSB) on April 29, 2010, October 28, 2010, and April 29, 2011. These recommendations 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). Consistent with the NOSB recommendations, this final rule continues, without change, the exemptions (use) and prohibitions for multiple listings on the National List for 5 years after their respective sunset dates. This final rule also amends the exemptions (use) for 7 substances and removes the exemptions for 3 substances on the National List.
This final rule amends Marketing Order No. 930 (order), which regulates the handling of tart cherries grown in Michigan, New York, Pennsylvania, Oregon, Utah, Washington, and Wisconsin. These amendments were proposed by the Cherry Industry Administrative Board (CIAB), which is responsible for local administration of the order. These amendments revise: the definition of “Handle”; and regulations concerning “Marketing Policy” and “Grower Diversion Privilege.” The amendments are intended to improve the operation and administration of the order.
This rule amends the regulations governing the selection and functions of Farm Service Agency (FSA) State and county committees. The amendments are needed to make the regulations consistent with the Farm Security and Rural Investment Act of 2002 (the 2002 Farm Bill) and the Food, Conservation, and Energy Act of 2008 (the 2008 Farm Bill). The intent of the amendments is to ensure that socially disadvantaged farmers and ranchers are appropriately represented on county committees, to make the county committee election process more open and accountable, and to clarify requirements for committee membership in the situation where existing county committees are consolidated or combined. All of these amendments have already been implemented by FSA, except for the new provisions specifying that the Secretary may appoint a voting member to the county committee when required to ensure fair representation of socially disadvantaged farmers and ranchers. There will be no change in State and County Committee functions and election procedures as a result of this rule, except for limited appointments of socially disadvantaged voting members. This rule is needed to make the regulations consistent with current FSA practice.
This rule establishes the quantity of spearmint oil produced in the Far West, by class, that handlers may purchase from, or handle on behalf of, producers during the 2012-2013 marketing year, which begins on June 1, 2012. This rule establishes salable quantities and allotment percentages for Class 1 (Scotch) spearmint oil of 782,413 pounds and 38 percent, respectively, and for Class 3 (Native) spearmint oil of 1,162,473 pounds and 50 percent, respectively. The Spearmint Oil Administrative Committee (Committee), the agency responsible for local administration of the marketing order for spearmint oil produced in the Far West, recommended these limitations for the purpose of avoiding extreme fluctuations in supplies and prices to help maintain stability in the spearmint oil market.
This document amends the General Specifications for Dairy Plants Approved for United States Department of Agriculture (USDA) Inspection and Grading Service (General Specifications) by raising the maximum allowable somatic cell count in producer herd goat milk from 1,000,000 cells per milliliter to 1,500,000 cells per milliliter. This will ensure that goat milk can continue to be shipped and recognizes that goats have a need for different regulatory limits for somatic cells than cows. In addition this document eliminates mandatory sediment testing on producer milk except for milk in cans. The requirement for sediment testing has become outdated and is no longer needed.
We are amending the Asian longhorned beetle regulations to make changes to the list of quarantined areas by adding portions of Worcester County, MA, and Clermont County, OH, to the list of quarantined areas. We are also removing a portion of Suffolk County, NY, from the list of quarantined areas based on our determination that the area meets our criteria for removal. These actions are necessary to prevent the artificial spread of Asian longhorned beetle to noninfested areas of the United States and to relieve restrictions on certain areas that are no longer necessary.
The Rural Housing Service (Agency) is amending regulations on Community Facility Loans, to maintain consistency with standard industry contracts and to make minor revisions to streamline processing applications. These revisions are needed to conform to market and industry changes by updating, clarifying, and modifying the regulatory requirements for community facility construction and development. The amendments to the regulation will streamline current processes and provide for faster reviews of alternate construction contract methods (such as Design/Build and Construction Management) by the Agency's National Office.
The Rural Utilities Service published a final rule in the Federal Register on June 24, 2011, which amended its regulations on Electric and Telecommunications Standards and Specifications for Materials, Equipment and Construction, by codifying specifications for wood poles, stubs and anchor logs, wood crossarms (solid and laminated), transmission timbers and pole keys, and for quality control and inspection of timber products. The Agency also updated these specifications to conform with revisions to the American Wood Preservers' Association (AWPA) standards and follow agency policy on insurance requirements. The document inadvertently published incorrect percentages that would require rejection or re-inspection of the entire lot of poles. This document corrects these errors.
This final rule revises and amends the regulation used to administer the Market Access Program (MAP) by updating and merging the application requirements and the activity plan requirements to reflect the Unified Export Strategy (UES) system currently in place; clarifying the eligibility of activities designed to address international market access issues; modifying the list of eligible and ineligible contributions; revising the portions of the regulation regarding evaluations, contracting procedures, and the compliance review and appeals process; eliminating the Export Incentive Program/Market Access Program (EIP/MAP) as a separate subcomponent; and making other administrative changes for clarity and program integrity. This final rule adopts the substantive provisions of the proposed rule published September 8, 2009, revising and amending MAP regulations, with changes made to reflect public comments to the proposed rule.
This final rule amends the U.S. Department of Agriculture's (USDA's) National List of Allowed and Prohibited Substances (National List) to enact two recommendations submitted to the Secretary of Agriculture (Secretary) by the National Organic Standards Board (NOSB) on June 20, 2008, and May 30, 2004. This final rule establishes exemptions (uses) for two substances, fenbendazole and moxidectin, along with any restrictive annotations, as parasiticides in organic livestock production.
This rule establishes the Processed Raspberry Promotion, Research, and Information Order (Order). The program will be implemented under the Commodity Promotion, Research, and Information Act of 1996 (1996 Act). Under the Order, producers of raspberries for processing and importers of processed raspberries will pay an assessment of up to one cent per pound, with the initial assessment rate being one cent per pound, which shall be paid to the National Processed Raspberry Council (Council). Producers and importers of less than 20,000 pounds annually of raspberries for processing and processed raspberries, respectively, will be exempt from the assessment. The U.S. Department of Agriculture (Department) conducted a referendum between June 8 and June 24, 2011 to ascertain whether the persons to be covered by and assessed under the Order favored the implementation of the program. In the referendum, 88 percent of those who voted favored implementation of the Order. Producers and importers of 20,000 or more pounds of raspberries for processing or processed raspberries respectively, during the calendar year January 1 through December 31, 2010, were eligible to vote in the referendum. The program was proposed by the Washington Red Raspberry Commission (WRRC).
The Office of Procurement and Property Management (OPPM) of the U.S. Department of Agriculture (USDA) is establishing and implementing procedures for the transfer of excess computers or other technical equipment for the purposes of distribution to a city, town, or local government entity in a rural area.
This interim rule amends National School Lunch Program regulations to conform to requirements contained in the Healthy, Hunger-Free Kids Act of 2010 regarding performance-based cash assistance for school food authorities certified compliant with meal pattern and nutrition standards. This rule requires State agencies to certify participating school food authorities (SFAs) that are in compliance with meal pattern and nutrition standard requirements as eligible to receive performance-based cash assistance for each reimbursable lunch served (an additional six cents per lunch available beginning October 1, 2012 and adjusted annually thereafter). This rule also requires State agencies to disburse performance-based cash assistance to certified SFAs, and withhold the performance-based cash assistance if the SFA is determined to be out of compliance with meal pattern or nutrition standards during a subsequent administrative review. The intended effect of this rule is to provide additional funding for SFAs to implement new meal pattern requirements, thus increasing the healthfulness of meals served to school children.
This final rule establishes the process and procedures to certify a qualifying college or university as a Hispanic-Serving Agricultural Colleges and Universities (HSACU) institution. NIFA will publish 7 CFR part 3434 in the Code of Federal Regulations to chronicle the eligibility criteria colleges and universities must satisfy in order to be certified as HSACU institutions by the Secretary of Agriculture. The Food, Conservation, and Energy Act of 2008 (FCEA) amended section 1404 of the National Agricultural Research, Extension, and Teaching Policy Act of 1977 to add a definition for a new group of cooperating educational institutions known as Hispanic-Serving Agricultural Colleges and Universities. Section 1404 defines HSACUs as colleges and universities that qualify as Hispanic-serving Institutions (HSIs) and offer associate, bachelors, or other accredited degree programs in agriculture-related fields. HSACUs do not include 1862 land-grant institutions, as defined in the Agricultural Research, Extension, and Education Reform Act of 1998. A separate part, 7 CFR part 3437, will be published in the future to provide specific administrative provisions for the HSACU Endowment Program ( e.g., applicability of regulations, purpose, definitions, eligibility, use of funds, administrative duties, and other sections, as appropriate).
We are adopting as a final rule, without change, an interim rule that amended the Asian longhorned beetle (ALB) regulations by quarantining portions of Suffolk and Norfolk Counties, MA, and expanding the quarantined area in Worcester County, MA. The interim rule also amended the regulations to add plants of the genus Koelreuteria (golden raintree) to the list of regulated articles. The interim rule, which restricted the interstate movement of regulated articles from these areas, was necessary to prevent the artificial spread of ALB to noninfested areas of the United States.
We are amending the fruits and vegetables regulations to allow the importation into the continental United States of pomegranates from Chile, subject to a systems approach. Under this systems approach, the fruit would have to be grown in a place of production that is registered with the national plant protection organization of Chile and certified as having a low prevalence of Brevipalpus chilensis. The fruit would have to undergo pre-harvest sampling at the registered production site. Following post-harvest processing, the fruit would have to be inspected in Chile at an approved inspection site. Each consignment of fruit would have to be accompanied by a phytosanitary certificate with an additional declaration stating that the fruit had been found free of Brevipalpus chilensis based on field and packinghouse inspections. This action will allow for the safe importation of fresh pomegranates from Chile using mitigation measures other than fumigation with methyl bromide.
We are amending the regulations governing the importation of clementines from Spain by removing from the regulations the number of clementines per consignment intended for export to the United States that are required to be sampled by inspectors of the Animal and Plant Health Inspection Service (APHIS). In place of this number, we will state in the regulations that inspectors will cut and inspect a sample of clementines determined by APHIS. By removing from the regulations the number of clementines per consignment from Spain to be sampled, we will have the flexibility to respond to changing risk levels while continuing to provide protection against the introduction of quarantine pests.
We are amending the fruits and vegetables regulations to allow the importation of fresh pitaya fruit from Central America into the continental United States. As a condition of entry, the pitaya fruit must be produced in accordance with a systems approach that includes requirements for monitoring and oversight, establishment of pest-free places of production, and procedures for packing the pitaya fruit. This action will allow for the importation of pitaya fruit from Central America into the continental United States while continuing to provide protection against the introduction of plant pests.
The Federal Crop Insurance Corporation (FCIC) finalizes the Common Crop Insurance Regulations, Fresh Market Tomato (Dollar Plan) Crop Provisions. The intended effect of this action is to provide policy changes and clarify existing policy provisions to better meet the needs of insured producers, and to reduce vulnerability to program fraud, waste, and abuse. The changes will apply for the 2013 and succeeding crop years.
We are adopting as a final rule, without change, an interim rule that amended the Karnal bunt regulations to make changes to the list of areas or fields regulated because of Karnal bunt, a fungal disease of wheat. Specifically, we removed areas and fields in Riverside County, CA, from the list of regulated areas based on our determination that those fields or areas meet our criteria for release from regulation. The interim rule was necessary to relieve restrictions on certain areas that were no longer necessary.
We are adopting as a final rule, without change, an interim rule that amended the golden nematode regulations by removing the townships of Elba and Byron in Genesee County, NY, from the list of generally infested areas. Surveys have shown that the fields in these two townships are free of golden nematode, and we determined that regulation of these areas was no longer necessary. As a result of that action, all the areas in Genesee County, NY, that were listed as generally infested were removed from the list of areas regulated for golden nematode.
The Department of Agriculture (USDA) is adopting, as a final rule, without change, an interim rule that decreased the assessment rate established for the Administrative Committee for Pistachios (Committee) for the 2011-12 and subsequent production years from $0.0007 to $0.0005 per pound of assessed weight pistachios. The Committee locally administers the marketing order which regulates the handling of pistachios grown in California, Arizona, and New Mexico. The interim rule was necessary to allow the Committee to provide sufficient revenue to meet its expenses while maintaining a financial reserve within the limit authorized under the order.
The Department of Agriculture (USDA) is adopting, as a final rule, without change, an interim rule that decreased the assessment rate established for the Prune Marketing Committee (Committee) for the 2011-12 and subsequent crop years from $0.27 to $0.22 per ton of salable dried prunes handled. The Committee locally administers the marketing order for dried prunes produced in California. The interim rule was necessary to allow the Committee to lower its assessment rate because of a substantial decrease in wage and salary expenses. The current excess funds carried forward along with the estimated interest income, combined with the funds generated from the decreased assessment rate and decreased crop is expected to provide adequate income to cover anticipated 2011-12 expenses.
This rule amends the Mango Promotion, Research, and Information Order (Order) to increase the assessment rate on first handlers and importers of mangos from one-half cent per pound to three-quarters of a cent per pound. The increase is permitted under the Order, which is authorized by the Commodity Promotion, Research, and Information Act of 1996 (Act). The National Mango Board (Board), which administers the Order, recommended this action to ensure that the Board's research and promotion programs continue to be adequately funded.
The Department of Agriculture is adopting, as a final rule, without change, an interim rule that decreased the assessment rate established for the Fresh Pear Committee (Committee) for the 2011-2012 and subsequent fiscal periods from $0.501 to $0.471 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. The Committee recommended the assessment rate decrease because the fresh winter pear promotion budget for the 2011-2012 fiscal period was reduced.
The Department of Agriculture is adopting, as a final rule, without change, an interim rule that decreased the assessment rate established for the Processed Pear Committee (Committee) for the 2011-2012 and subsequent fiscal periods from $8.41 to $7.73 per ton of summer/fall processed pears handled. The Committee locally administers the marketing order which regulates the handling of processed pears grown in Oregon and Washington. The Committee recommended the assessment rate decrease because the summer/fall processed pear promotion budget for the 2011-2012 fiscal period was reduced.
This rule revises the quantity of Class 1 (Scotch) spearmint oil that handlers may purchase from, or handle on behalf of, producers during the 2011-2012 marketing year. This rule increases the Scotch spearmint oil salable quantity from 733,913 pounds to 876,596 pounds, and the allotment percentage from 36 percent to 43 percent. The marketing order regulates the handling of spearmint oil produced in the Far West and is administered locally by the Spearmint Oil Administrative Committee (Committee). The Committee unanimously recommended this rule for the purpose of avoiding extreme fluctuations in supplies and prices and to help maintain stability in the Far West spearmint oil market.
The Agricultural Marketing Service (AMS) is amending the procedures for determining the official leaf grade for Upland and Pima cotton. The leaf grade is a part of the official classification which denotes cotton fiber quality used in cotton marketing and manufacturing of cotton products. Previously, the leaf grade was determined by visual examination and comparison to the Universal Cotton Standards for Leaf Grade that serves as the official cotton standards by qualified cotton classers. Amended procedures replace the classer's leaf determination with the instrument leaf measurement made by the High Volume Instrument (HVI) system, which has been used in official cotton classification for Upland Cotton since 1991.
In compliance with the February 21, 2012 Presidential Memorandum “Driving Innovation and Creating Jobs In Rural America through Biobased and Sustainable Product Procurement,” the U.S. Department of Agriculture (USDA) is amending the Guidelines for Designating Biobased Products for Federal Procurement, to add 13 sections to designate product categories within which biobased products will be afforded Federal procurement preference, as provided for under section 9002 of the Farm Security and Rural Investment Act of 2002, as amended by the Food, Conservation, and Energy Act of 2008 (referred to in this document as “section 9002”). USDA is also establishing minimum biobased contents for each of these product categories.
This rule makes technical changes to the Commodity Credit Corporation (CCC) upland cotton marketing assistance loan (MAL) regulations to revise certain grade and quality references. Changes include revising references to specific quality characteristics of certain base quality grades to simply a reference to the “base quality” of the grade without further specification. CCC uses base quality to calculate upland cotton loan rates, Adjusted World Price (AWP), and related adjustments. This change will accommodate any future changes to the base quality specifications that define the base quality characteristics of a particular grade. This rule also changes a broad reference of a base grade to a more specific reference that names the particular relevant grade. None of these changes involve a change of policy and would not have affected any program determinations in past crop years, had these changes been in place at the time. They improve the regulations by maintaining consistency with base quality specifications as that may change in the future. This amendment will apply starting with the 2012 crop.
The Rural Utilities Service (RUS) is amending its regulations regarding electric distribution specifications for 15kV and 25 kV primary underground power cable. This rule will rescind Bulletin 50-70 (U-1), “REA Specification for 15 kV and 25 kV Primary Underground Power Cable,” and codify the material which was formerly incorporated by reference. The specifications and standards that appeared in the old RUS Bulletin 50-70 (U-1) will be incorporated by reference and will update the specifications for 15kV and 25kV underground power cable, and provide RUS borrowers with specifications for 35 kV underground power cable for use in 25 kV primary systems. These specifications cover single-phase and multi-phase primary underground power cable which RUS electric borrowers use to construct their rural underground electric distribution systems.
The Food and Nutrition Service published an interim final rule entitled “National School Lunch Program: School Food Service Account Revenue Amendments Related to the Healthy, Hunger-Free Kids Act of 2010” on June 17, 2011. The Office of Management and Budget (OMB) cleared the associated information collection requirements (ICR) on February 6, 2012. This document announces approval of the ICR.
In September 2010, the Farm Service Agency (FSA) implemented the new Conservation Loan (CL) Program authorized by the Food, Conservation, and Energy Act of 2008 (the 2008 Farm Bill). FSA added the CL Program provisions to the existing direct and guaranteed loan regulations. The provisions provide CL program eligibility and servicing options for the direct and guaranteed loans made through the CL Program. FSA is amending the Farm Loan Programs (FLP) direct and guaranteed loan regulations for the CL Program based on public comments received on the interim rule.
The Rural Utilities Service (RUS) is adopting as a final rule, without change, an interim rule to implement the Expansion of 911 as authorized by Section 315 of the Rural Electrification Act of 1936 (RE Act) as provided for in Section 6107 of the Food, Conservation, and Energy Act of 2008 (2008 Farm Bill). The interim rule codified the Secretary's authority to make loans in five areas of eligibility to expand or improve 911 access and integrated emergency communications systems in rural areas for the Telecommunications Loan Program.
This document amends the delegations of authority within the Department of Agriculture (USDA) to reflect the delegation of authorities related to civil rights from the Secretary of Agriculture directly to the Assistant Secretary for Civil Rights (ASCR). Previously, these authorities were delegated to the Assistant Secretary for Administration and re-delegated to the ASCR.
This document revises the delegations of authority from the Secretary of Agriculture and general officers of the Department of Agriculture (USDA) to reflect changes in the coordination of Departmental remote sensing activities. These responsibilities are consolidated within the Office of the Chief Information Officer (OCIO) to create a single focal point for coordinating all Departmental geospatial activities.
The Federal Crop Insurance Corporation (FCIC) finalizes the Common Crop Insurance Regulations, Onion Crop Insurance Provisions. The intended effect of this action is to provide policy changes and clarify existing policy provisions to better meet the needs of insured producers, and to reduce vulnerability to program fraud, waste, and abuse. The changes will apply for the 2013 and succeeding crop years.
We are amending the regulations to provide for the importation of wooden handicrafts from China under certain conditions. From 2002 to 2005, the Animal and Plant Health Inspection Service (APHIS) issued more than 300 emergency action notices and conducted national recalls to remove infested Chinese-origin wooden handicrafts from the U.S. marketplace. In 2005, APHIS suspended the importation of certain wooden handicrafts until we could more fully analyze the pest risks associated with those articles. Based on evidence from a pest risk analysis, APHIS has determined that these articles can be safely imported from China, provided certain conditions are met. This action allows for trade in Chinese wooden handicrafts to resume while continuing to protect the United States against the introduction of plant pests.
This final rule adopts changes to Agricultural Marketing Service (AMS) regulations as required by section 273(d) of the Agricultural Marketing Act of 1946 (the Act) as amended by the Mandatory Price Reporting Act of 2010. The amendment to the Act requires the Secretary of Agriculture (Secretary) to establish an electronic reporting system for certain manufacturers of dairy products to report sales information for a mandatory dairy product reporting program. The amendment further states that the Secretary shall publish the information obtained for the preceding week not later than 3 p.m. Eastern Time on Wednesday of each week.
This final rule amends the U.S. Department of Agriculture's (USDA) National List of Allowed and Prohibited Substances (National List) to enact six recommendations submitted to the Secretary of Agriculture (Secretary) by the National Organic Standards Board (NOSB) on May 22, 2008, November 19, 2008, and May 6, 2009. This final rule adds one substance, microcrystalline cheesewax, along with any restrictive annotations, for use in organic mushroom production; and adds three substances, acidified sodium chlorite, dried orange pulp, and Pacific kombu seaweed, with any restrictive annotations, for use in organic handling. This final rule also amends the annotation for one substance used in organic handling, unbleached lecithin, and removes bleached lecithin from the National List.
The Rural Business-Cooperative Service is amending its regulations for the Business and Industry Guaranteed Loan Program to clarify that the Agency guarantee does not cover default and penalty interest or late charges. The Agency's regulations are currently silent on this issue. However, it has always been the Agency's policy not to pay out additional cost for default interest, penalty interest, and late charges calculated and submitted on a final report of loss claim under the Loan Note Guarantee. The Agency does permit the lender to charge default interest with prior Agency approval. By defining “interest” in the definition section of the regulation and clarifying the Agency's policy as it relates to default interest, penalty interest, and late charge, this will avert any misunderstandings.
The Natural Resources Conservation Service (NRCS) published in the Federal Register a final rule for the Farm and Ranch Lands Protection Program (FRPP) on January 24, 2011, to address comments received on the interim rule and to publish changes to the entity certification requirements. At that time, NRCS provided an opportunity for the public to submit comments for 30 days on the certification requirements only. This rulemaking action is necessary to address those comments received on the entity certification requirements.
The Agricultural Marketing Service (AMS) is amending the procedures for cotton futures quality classification services by using Smith-Doxey classification data in the cotton futures classification process. In addition, references to a separate and optional review of cotton futures certification are being eliminated to reflect current industry practices. These changes in procedures for cotton futures quality classification services, as well as proposed conforming changes, reflect advances in cotton fiber quality measurement and data processing made since the regulations were last updated in 1992.
We are amending the plum pox regulations to provide for the payment of compensation to eligible owners of non-fruit-bearing ornamental tree nurseries and to increase the amount of compensation that may be paid to eligible owners of commercial stone fruit orchards and fruit tree nurseries whose trees are required to be destroyed in order to prevent the spread of plum pox. We are also providing updated instructions for the submission of claims for compensation. These changes are necessary to provide adequate compensation to persons who are economically affected by the plum pox quarantine and the associated State and Federal eradication efforts. This action will assist our efforts to eradicate plum pox in the United States.
The Department of Agriculture (USDA) is adopting, as a final rule, without change, an interim rule that revised the quantity of Class 1 (Scotch) and Class 3 (Native) spearmint oil that handlers may purchase from, or handle on behalf of, producers during the 2011-2012 marketing year. The interim rule increased the Scotch spearmint oil salable quantity from 693,141 pounds to 733,913 pounds, and the allotment percentage from 34 percent to 36 percent. In addition, the interim rule increased the Native spearmint oil salable quantity from 1,012,949 pounds to 1,266,161 pounds, and the allotment percentage from 44 percent to 55 percent. This change is expected to moderate extreme fluctuations in the supply and price of spearmint oil and to help maintain stability in the Far West spearmint oil market.
The Rural Business-Cooperative Service is making several technical amendments to correct the Rural Business Investment Program (RBIP) regulation, including one to conform to the 2008 Farm Bill provision that allows a Rural Business Investment Company two years to raise its capital.
This final rule updates the meal patterns and nutrition standards for the National School Lunch and School Breakfast Programs to align them with the Dietary Guidelines for Americans. This rule requires most schools to increase the availability of fruits, vegetables, whole grains, and fat-free and low-fat fluid milk in school meals; reduce the levels of sodium, saturated fat and trans fat in meals; and meet the nutrition needs of school children within their calorie requirements. These improvements to the school meal programs, largely based on recommendations made by the Institute of Medicine of the National Academies, are expected to enhance the diet and health of school children, and help mitigate the childhood obesity trend.
Through this action, the Rural Housing Service (RHS) amends its regulations for the Direct Single Family Housing Loans by reinstating language in the Single Family Housing (SFH) recapture regulation to enable full repayment of the entire subsidy in event of foreclosure or deed-in-lieu of foreclosure (voluntary conveyance). This action clarifies that in the event of foreclosure or deed-in-lieu of foreclosure (voluntary conveyance) the RHS will recapture the full subsidy from the value of the property.
The Agency published a rule in the Federal Register on February 14, 2011, establishing a guaranteed loan program for the development and construction of commercial-scale biorefineries and for the retrofitting of existing facilities using eligible technology for the development of advanced biofuels. The document inadvertently omitted provisions as to what an applicant is to do in the event either an appraisal is not completed or a credit rating cannot be obtained at the time of application. This document corrects the omissions.
The Agricultural Research Service amends its regulations on the fee schedule for interlibrary loan from the collections of the National Agricultural Library (NAL). The revised fee schedule is based on the method of payment used (traditional invoicing through the National Technical Information Service (NTIS) or payment through the Online Computer Library Center (OCLC) network's Interlibrary Fee Management program, a debit/credit program for interlibrary loan) and eliminates the current billing surcharge, which is instead incorporated into the revised flat fee.
The Rural Utilities Service (RUS) is amending the contract threshold amounts that require borrowers to use certain prescribed agency contract forms and the contract dollar amounts that require RUS review of contracts prior to the contract being effective. Also, RUS is raising the threshold amounts requiring RUS borrowers to use certain required procurement methods for materials, equipment and contract services that otherwise would require RUS prior approval. The changes in the threshold amounts will reduce the number of contracts reviewed by the RUS.
The following are ALL rules, proposed rules, and notices (chronologically) published in the Federal Register relating to Title 7 after this date.
The Rural Utilities Service (RUS), a Rural Development agency of the United States Department of Agriculture (USDA), hereinafter referred to as RUS or the Agency, amends its regulations for the Community-Oriented Connectivity Broadband Grant Program (Community Connect Grant Program). The purpose of this regulatory change is to provide the Agency the ability to target limited resources to geographical as well as technological areas of need. This rule is not applicable to Community Connect grant applications filed for funding prior to the publication of a Notice of Funds Availability (NOFA) under this regulation.
We are reopening the comment period for our advance notice of proposed rulemaking that solicits public comment on whether and how we should amend our process for responding to domestic chrysanthemum white rust (CWR) outbreaks and the importation of plant material that is a host of CWR. This action will allow interested persons additional time to prepare and submit comments.
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.
In accordance with Section 304 of the Healthy, Hunger-Free Kids Act of 2012, this proposed rule would require local education agencies participating in the Department's National School Lunch Program and demonstrating high levels of, or a high risk for administrative error associated with certification, verification, and other administrative processes to conduct an independent review of the initial eligibility determinations for free and reduced price school meals for accuracy prior to notifying households of eligibility or ineligibility. Additionally, this proposed rule would require each affected local educational agency to submit to the relevant State agency the results of the reviews including the number of applications subject to a second review, the number and percentage of reviewed applications for which the eligibility determinations changed, and a summary of the type of changes made. State agencies would be required to submit to the Food and Nutrition Service, a report describing the results of the second reviews in their State. This proposed rule is expected to reduce administrative errors in eligibility determinations for free and reduced price school meals.
The Rural Utilities Service (RUS) published a document in the Federal Register on July 26, 2012, proposing policies and procedures for loan and guarantee financial assistance in support of energy efficiency programs (EE Programs) sponsored and implemented by electric utilities for the benefit of rural persons in their service territory. The comment period closing date was incorrect.
The Department is proposing changes to the Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program (SNAP) (formerly the Food Stamp Program) retailer sanction regulations in accordance with amendments made to Sections 7, 9, and 12 of the Food and Nutrition Act of 2008 (“the Act”) by the Food, Conservation, and Energy Act of 2008, Public Law 110-246 (“the 2008 Farm Bill”). The proposal would update SNAP retailer sanction regulations to include authority granted in the 2008 Farm Bill to allow FNS to impose a civil penalty in addition to disqualification, raise the allowable penalties per violation, and provide greater flexibility to USDA for minor violations.
We are soliciting public comment on whether and how we should amend our process for responding to domestic chrysanthemum white rust (CWR) outbreaks and the importation of plant material that is a host of CWR. Domestically, CWR host plants must be surveyed and, if found to be infected with CWR, must undergo quarantine, destruction, treatment, or other sanitation measures called for in our National Management Plan. The importation of CWR host plants for planting from a number of countries and localities is currently prohibited to prevent the introduction of CWR into the United States. In addition, importation of cut flowers of CWR host plants from countries where CWR is known to occur is currently restricted. We are reevaluating our current regulatory strategy in order to improve the effectiveness and economic efficiency of our programs. After evaluating public comment on the issues presented in this document, we will determine whether to propose changes to our existing regulations.
The Rural Utilities Service (RUS or Agency) is proposing policies and procedures for loan and guarantee financial assistance in support of energy efficiency programs (EE Programs) sponsored and implemented by electric utilities for the benefit of rural persons in their service territory. This notice of proposed rulemaking proposes changes to RUS regulations on General and Pre-Loan Policies and Procedures Common to Electric Loans and Guarantees. This regulation was finalized December 20, 1993. The notice of proposed rulemaking also proposes conforming amendments to additional RUS regulations. Under Section two of the Rural Electric Act, RUS is authorized to assist electric borrowers in implementing demand side management, energy efficiency and conservation programs, and on-grid and off-grid renewable energy systems. The scope of this proposed regulation falls within the authority of the Act.
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.
The Federal Crop Insurance Corporation (FCIC) proposes to amend the Common Crop Insurance Regulations, Florida Citrus Fruit Crop Insurance Provisions. The intended effect of this action is to provide policy changes, to clarify existing policy provisions to better meet the needs of policyholders, and to reduce vulnerability to program fraud, waste, and abuse. The proposed changes will be effective for the 2014 and succeeding crop years.
This proposed rule would adjust the number of members on the United Soybean Board (Board) to reflect changes in production levels that have occurred since the Board was last reapportioned in 2009. As required by the Soybean Promotion, Research, and Consumer Information Act (Act), membership on the Board is reviewed every 3 years and adjustments are made accordingly. This proposed change would result in an increase in Board membership for one State, increasing the total number of Board members from 69 to 70. These changes would be reflected in the Soybean Promotion and Research Order (Order) and would be effective for the 2013 appointment process.
This rule would increase the assessment rate established for the California Desert Grape Administrative Committee (Committee) for the 2012 and subsequent fiscal periods from $0.0125 to $0.0150 per 18-pound lug of grapes handled. The Committee locally administers the marketing order, which regulates the handling of grapes grown in a designated area of southeastern California. Assessments upon grape handlers are used by the Committee to fund reasonable and necessary expenses of the program. The fiscal period begins January 1 and ends December 31. The assessment rate would 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.
The Rural Housing Service (RHS) proposes to amend the regulations utilized to service the Community Facilities Guaranteed Loan Program by amending the regulation in two separate sections, in order to clarify the types of projects that are eligible for a Community Facilities Guaranteed Loan. The intended effect of this action is to strengthen the Community Facilities Guaranteed Loan Program by limiting the risk to the guaranteed loan portfolio. RHS is seeking to prohibit the financing of facilities in which the operation of such facilities have not been supported by the community and have resulted in significant default and loan losses to the agency.
This proposed rule would add reporting for pork (fresh, chilled, and frozen box/primal cuts) and distillers dried grain (DDG) to the Export Sales Reporting Requirements. Under this proposed rule, all exporters of U.S. pork and DDG would be required to report on a weekly basis, information on the export sales of pork and DDG to the Foreign Agricultural Service (FAS).
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.
This proposed rule would amend the Lamb Promotion, Research, and Information Order (Order) to increase the assessment rate on all live ovine animals sold from $.005 per pound to $.007 per pound for producers, feeders, and seedstock producers, and from $.30 per head of ovine animals purchased for slaughter to $.42 per head for first handlers. The increase is provided for under the Order, which is authorized by the Commodity Promotion, Research, and Information Act of 1996 (Act). The American Lamb Board (Board), which administers the Order, recommended this action to maintain and expand their promotional, research, advertising, and communications programs.
This rule would increase the assessment rate established for the California Olive Committee (Committee) for the 2012 and subsequent fiscal years from $16.61 to $31.32 per assessable ton of olives handled. The Committee locally administers the marketing order which regulates the handling of olives grown in California. Assessments upon olive handlers are used by the Committee to fund reasonable and necessary expenses of the program. The fiscal year begins January 1 and ends December 31. The assessment rate would remain in effect indefinitely unless modified, suspended, or terminated.
The U.S. Department of Agriculture (USDA) is proposing to amend the Guidelines for Designating Biobased Products for Federal Procurement (Guidelines) to add 12 sections that will designate the following product categories within which biobased products would be afforded Federal procurement preference: Agricultural spray adjuvants; animal cleaning products; deodorants; dethatcher products; fuel conditioners; leather, vinyl, and rubber care products; lotions and moisturizers; shaving products; specialty precision cleaners and solvents; sun care products; wastewater systems coatings; and water clarifying agents. USDA is also proposing minimum biobased contents for each of these product categories.
The Food and Nutrition Service (FNS) is proposing to amend Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program (SNAP or Program) regulations at 7 CFR 274.6 to allow State agencies to deny a request for a replacement card until contact is made with the State agency, if the requests for replacement cards are determined to be excessive. State agencies that elect to exercise this authority will be required to protect vulnerable persons, such as individuals with disabilities, homeless individuals, or the elderly, who may repeatedly lose EBT cards but are not committing fraud. FNS proposes to also change the Electronic Benefit Transfer (EBT) card replacement timeframes in the same section to require State agencies to make replacement cards available for pick up or to place the card in the mail within one business day following notice by the household to the State agency that the card has been lost or stolen. This proposed rule would further amend regulations at 7 CFR 271.2 to clarify the definition of trafficking to include the intent to sell SNAP benefits in cases where an individual makes the offer to sell their benefits and/or EBT card online or in person so the State may pursue an intentional Program violation (IPV) against the individual who made the offer.
The Farm Service Agency (FSA) proposes to modify Operating Loan (OL) application, eligibility, and security requirements for microloans (ML) that would serve the unique operating needs of very small family farm operations. The intended effect of this proposed rule is to make the OL Program more widely available and attractive to smaller operators through reduced application requirements, more timely application processing, and added flexibility in meeting the managerial ability eligibility requirement. This proposed rule also would remove provisions for the low documentation (Lo-Doc) application process for OLs from the existing direct loan regulations.
The Federal Crop Insurance Corporation (FCIC) proposes to amend the Common Crop Insurance Regulations, Processing Sweet Corn Crop Insurance Provisions. The intended effect of this action is to provide policy changes that better meet the needs of insured producers. The proposed changes will be effective for the 2013 and succeeding crop years.
The U.S. Department of Agriculture (USDA) is proposing to amend 7 CFR part 3201, Guidelines for Designating Biobased Products for Federal Procurement, to incorporate statutory changes to section 9002 of the Farm Security and Rural Investment Act (FSRIA) that were effected when the Food, Conservation, and Energy Act of 2008 (FCEA) was signed into law on June 18, 2008.
This rule invites comments on proposed revisions to 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 would increase the volume of tart cherries that can be placed in the primary inventory reserve from 50 million pounds to 100 million pounds and would revise 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 document corrects the preamble and the regulatory text to a proposed rule published by the Grain Inspection, Packers and Stockyards Administration (GIPSA) in the Federal Register of April 11, 2012, regarding a proposal to revise the U.S. Standards for Wheat under the U.S. Grain Standards Act. The proposed rule would change the definition of Contrasting classes in Hard White wheat and change the grade limits for shrunken and broken kernels. GIPSA believes that these proposed changes will help to facilitate the marketing of wheat.
We are proposing to amend the regulations concerning the importation of fruits and vegetables to allow the importation of fresh bananas from the Philippines into the continental United States. As a condition of entry, the bananas would have to be produced in accordance with a systems approach that would include requirements for importation of commercial consignments, monitoring of fruit flies to establish low-prevalence places of production, harvesting only of hard green bananas, and inspection for quarantine pests by the national plant protection organization of the Philippines. The bananas would also have to be accompanied by a phytosanitary certificate with an additional declaration stating that they were grown, packed, and inspected and found to be free of quarantine pests in accordance with the proposed requirements. This action would allow the importation of bananas from the Philippines while continuing to protect against the introduction of plant pests into the United States.
The Farm Service Agency (FSA) is proposing to amend the Farm Loan Programs (FLP) regulations for loan making and servicing, specifically those on real estate appraisals, lease, subordination and disposition of security, and Conservation Contract requirements. FSA is proposing the changes to streamline the loan making and servicing process and give the borrower greater flexibility while protecting the financial interests of the Government.
The Agricultural Marketing Service (AMS) is proposing to maintain user fees for cotton producers for 2012 crop cotton classification services under the Cotton Statistics and Estimates Act at the same level as in 2011. These fees are also authorized under the Cotton Standards Act of 1923. The 2011 crop user fee was $2.20 per bale, and AMS proposes to continue the fee for the 2012 cotton crop at that same level. This proposed fee and the existing reserve are sufficient to cover the costs of providing classification services for the 2012 crop, including costs for administration and supervision.
The Grain Inspection, Packers and Stockyards Administration (GIPSA) is proposing to revise the U.S. Standards for Wheat (wheat standards) under the U.S. Grain Standards Act (USGSA) to change the definition of Contrasting classes (CCL) in Hard White wheat and change the grade limits for shrunken and broken kernels (SHBN). GIPSA believes that these proposed changes will help to facilitate the marketing of wheat.
This rule would increase the assessment rate established for the Florida Tomato Committee (Committee) for the 2011-12 and subsequent fiscal periods from $0.0275 to $0.037 per 25-pound carton of tomatoes handled. The Committee locally administers the marketing order which regulates the handling of tomatoes grown in Florida. Assessments upon tomato handlers are used by the Committee to fund reasonable and necessary expenses of the program. The fiscal period begins August 1 and ends July 31. The assessment rate would remain in effect indefinitely unless modified, suspended, or terminated.
This rule proposes to codify several provisions of the Healthy, Hunger-Free Kids Act of 2010 affecting the management of the Child and Adult Care Food Program (CACFP). The Department is proposing to require institutions to submit an initial CACFP application to the State agency and, in subsequent years, periodically update the information in lieu of submitting a new application; require sponsoring organizations to vary the timing of reviews of sponsored facilities; require State agencies to develop and provide for the use of a standard permanent agreement between sponsoring organizations and day care centers; allow tier II day care homes to collect household income information and transmit it to the sponsoring organization; modify the method of determining administrative payments to sponsoring organizations of day care homes by basing payments on a formula; and allow sponsoring organizations of day care homes to carry over up to 10 percent of their administrative funding from the previous fiscal year into the next fiscal year. This rule also proposes to incorporate several changes to the application and renewal process which are expected to improve the management of CACFP and to make a number of miscellaneous technical changes.
On April 2, 2001, the U.S. Department of Agriculture, 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 proposed rule reflects the work of the USDA Wholesale Pork Reporting Negotiated Rulemaking Committee (Committee).
A proposed rule published in the Federal Register on March 8, 2012, proposing requirements to add reporting for pork (fresh, chilled, and frozen box/primal cuts) and distillers dried grain (DDG) to the Export Sales Reporting Requirements, is being withdrawn. The Foreign Agricultural Service (FAS) is currently awaiting approval for publication from the Office of Management and Budget.
The Rural Utilities Service (RUS) proposes to amend the regulations pertaining to the Section 306C Water and Waste Disposal (WWD) Loans and Grants program, which provides water and waste disposal facilities and services to low-income rural communities whose residents face significant health risks. Specifically, RUS is proposing to modify the priority points system within the regulation in order to give additional priority points to colonias areas that are un-served and that are facing significant health risks. The intent is to ensure that the neediest areas receive funding. RUS is also seeking comments on other potential modifications that could provide incentive for local entities to assist areas designated as colonias that lack access to water or waste disposal systems and/or which face significant health risk.
The United States Department of Agriculture (USDA) is publishing the proposed guidance on the Title VI prohibition against national origin discrimination as it affects limited English proficient persons. Consistent with Title VI of the Civil Rights Act of 1964, as amended, Title VI regulations, and Executive Order 13166, “Improving Access to Services for Persons with Limited English Proficiency (LEP),” the guidance clarifies the obligations of entities that receive Federal financial assistance from USDA. The guidance does not create new obligations, but rather, provides guidance for USDA recipients in meeting their existing obligations to provide meaningful access for LEP persons.
This proposed rule would add reporting for pork (fresh, chilled, and frozen box/primal cuts) and distillers dried grain (DDG) to the Export Sales Reporting Requirements. Under this proposed rule, all exporters of U.S. pork and DDG would be required to report on a weekly basis, information on the export sales of pork and DDGs to the Foreign Agricultural Service (FAS).
This decision proposes amendments to Marketing Order No. 930 (order), which regulates the handling of tart cherries grown in Michigan, New York, Pennsylvania, Oregon, Utah, Washington, and Wisconsin and provides growers and processors with the opportunity to vote in a referendum to determine if they favor the changes. These amendments were proposed by the Cherry Industry Administrative Board (CIAB), which is responsible for local administration of the order. These amendments would revise: Section 930.10, the definition of “Handle”; Section 930.50, “Marketing Policy” and Section 930.58, “Grower Diversion Privilege.” The amendments are intended to improve the operation and administration of the order.
This rule would establish the quantity of spearmint oil produced in the Far West, by class, that handlers may purchase from, or handle on behalf of, producers during the 2012-2013 marketing year, which begins on June 1, 2012. This rule invites comments on the establishment of salable quantities and allotment percentages for Class 1 (Scotch) spearmint oil of 782,413 pounds and 38 percent, respectively, and for Class 3 (Native) spearmint oil of 1,162,473 pounds and 50 percent, respectively. The Spearmint Oil Administrative Committee (Committee), the agency responsible for local administration of the marketing order for spearmint oil produced in the Far West, recommended these limitations for the purpose of avoiding extreme fluctuations in supplies and prices to help maintain stability in the spearmint oil market.
This rule invites comments on the establishment of 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 would establish 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.
This proposed rule would expand the contracting authority as established under the Beef Promotion and Research (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 proposed rule would change 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.
This document contains a correction to the proposed rule which was published on February 6, 2012 (77 FR 5717). The proposed rule relates to revising the U.S. Department of Agriculture's (USDA) National List of Allowed and Prohibited Substances (National List) to reduce the maximum levels for synthetic methionine currently allowed in organic poultry production after October 1, 2012. This document will remove an incorrect reference to a date in the proposed modification to our regulation.
This 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.
This proposed rule would establish the basic requirements for the operation of the Fresh Fruit and Vegetable Program (FFVP) in conformance with the Richard B. Russell National School Lunch Act. It would set forth administrative and operational requirements for FFVP operators at the State and local levels. The intent of these provisions is to ensure that the FFVP encourages the consumption of fresh fruits and vegetables by elementary school children, thus improving their dietary habits and long-term health.
This proposed rule would amend the U.S. Department of Agriculture's (USDA) National List of Allowed and Prohibited Substances (National List) to address a recommendation submitted to the Secretary of Agriculture (Secretary) by the National Organic Standards Board (NOSB) on April 29, 2010. Consistent with the recommendation from the NOSB, this proposed rule would revise the annotation for one substance on the National List, methionine, to reduce the maximum levels currently allowed in organic poultry production after October 1, 2012. This proposed rule would permit the use of synthetic methionine at the following maximum levels per ton of feed after October 1, 2012: laying and broiler chickens—2 pounds; turkeys and all other poultry—3 pounds. This action also proposes to correct the Chemical Abstract Service (CAS) numbers for the currently allowable forms of synthetic methionine and seeks comments on these changes.
The National Organic Program (NOP) is announcing the availability of a draft guidance document intended for use by accredited certifying agents, certified operations and non-certified handlers of certified organic products. The draft guidance document is entitled as follows: Handling Bulk, Unpackaged Organic Products (NOP 5031). This draft guidance document is intended to inform the public of NOP's current thinking on this topic. The NOP is seeking comments on this draft guidance document. A notice of availability of final guidance on this topic will be issued upon its final approval. Once finalized, this guidance document will be available from the NOP through “The Program Handbook: Guidance and Instructions for Accredited Certifying Agents (ACAs) and Certified Operations.” This Handbook provides those who own, manage, or certify organic operations with guidance and instructions that can assist them in complying with the NOP regulations. The current edition of the Program Handbook is available online at http://www.ams.usda.gov/nop or in print upon request.
This rule proposes to amend the National School Lunch Program (NSLP) regulations to incorporate provisions of the Healthy, Hunger-Free Kids Act of 2010 designed to encourage States to improve direct certification efforts with the Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program (SNAP). The provisions would require State agencies to meet certain direct certification performance benchmarks and to develop and implement continuous improvement plans if they fail to do so. This rule also proposes to amend NSLP and SNAP regulations to provide for the collection of data elements needed to compute each State's direct certification performance rate to compare with the new benchmarks.
The Federal Crop Insurance Corporation (FCIC) proposes to amend the Common Crop Insurance Regulations, Peach Crop Insurance Provisions. The intended effect of this action is to provide policy changes, to clarify existing policy provisions to better meet the needs of insured producers, and to reduce vulnerability to program fraud, waste, and abuse. The proposed changes will be effective for the 2013 and succeeding crop years.
The Agricultural Marketing Service (AMS) proposes to amend the regulations governing the United States (U.S.) Standards for Condition of Food Containers. The proposed revisions would remove the Operating Characteristic (OC) curves for on-line sampling and inspection and make other minor non-substantive changes. These revisions are necessary in order to provide standards that reflect current industry practices.
This proposed rule would address a recommendation submitted to the Secretary of Agriculture (Secretary) by the National Organic Standards Board (NOSB) on April 29, 2011. The recommendation pertains to the 2012 Sunset Review of the listing for nutrient vitamins and minerals on the U.S. Department of Agriculture's (USDA) National List of Allowed and Prohibited Substances (National List). As recommended by the NOSB, the proposed rule would continue the exemption (use) for nutrient vitamins and minerals for 5 years after the October 21, 2012 sunset date. In addition, the proposed rule would amend the annotation to correct an inaccurate cross reference to U.S. Food and Drug Administration regulations (FDA). The proposed amendment to the annotation would clarify what synthetic substances are allowed as nutrient vitamins and minerals in organic products labeled as “organic” or “made with organic (specified ingredients or food group(s)).”
This proposed rule would address recommendations submitted to the Secretary of Agriculture (Secretary) by the National Organic Standards Board (NOSB) on April 29, 2010, October 28, 2010, and April 29, 2011. These recommendations 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). Consistent with the NOSB recommendations, the proposed rule would continue, without change, the exemptions (use) and prohibitions for multiple listings on the National List for 5 years after their respective sunset dates. This proposed rule would amend the exemptions (use) or prohibition for 7 substances and remove the exemption for 3 substances on the National List.
This rule proposes to amend regulations for the Food Distribution Program on Indian Reservations (FDPIR). The changes are intended to simplify and improve the administration of and expand access to FDPIR, and promote conformity with the Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program (SNAP). First, the Department proposes an amendment that would eliminate household resources from consideration when determining FDPIR eligibility. Second, to more closely align FDPIR and SNAP regulations, the Department proposes to expand the current FDPIR income deduction for Medicare Part B Medical Insurance and Part D Prescription Drug Coverage premiums to include other monthly medical expenses in excess of $35 for households with elderly and/or disabled members. This rule also proposes to establish an income deduction for shelter and utility expenses. Finally, the Department proposes verification requirements related to the proposed income deductions and revisions to the household reporting requirements that will more closely align FDPIR and SNAP regulations.
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