🌱Rescinding Natural Grass Sod Promotion Order
This direct final rule rescinds the referendum procedures for the proposed Natural Grass Sod Promotion, Research, and Information Order (Sod Proposed Order), issued on December 10, 2024. The referendum failed and the Sod Proposed Order was not approved, therefore it is being withdrawn through a Notice which will also be published in the Federal Register. Therefore, the referendum procedures for the Sod Proposed Order are no longer necessary and AMS is rescinding the part in its entirety.
Learn More🚬Regulatory Changes in Tobacco Import Inspections and Testing
This direct final rule amends regulations that govern the mandatory inspection and pesticide testing for imported tobacco established under The Tobacco Adjustment Act of 1983. The Fair and Equitable Tobacco Reform Act of 2004 eliminated mandatory inspection and pesticide testing for imported tobacco. In alignment with Executive Order 14192, AMS is amending and, where appropriate, removing regulations that have expired authorizing statutes or govern non- operational programs.
Learn More🌸Deregulation of Chrysanthemum White Rust and Importation Guidelines
We are reopening the comment period on a notice making available an economic evaluation relative to regulating chrysanthemum white rust as a quarantine pest, as well as a pest risk analysis regarding the importation of Chrysanthemum spp. and synonymous genera cuttings and in vitro plantlets into the United States. Based on comments received on an initial notice, we have revised the pest risk analysis. This action will allow interested persons time to review the revised documents and submit comments.
Learn More🌾USDA Codex Notice on SPS Standards and Public Comments
This notice informs the public of the sanitary and phytosanitary (SPS) standard-setting activities of the Codex Alimentarius (Codex), in accordance with section 491 of the Trade Agreements Act of 1979, as amended, and the Uruguay Round Agreements Act. This notice also provides a list of other standard-setting activities of Codex, including commodity standards, guidelines, codes of practice, and revised texts. This notice, which covers Codex activities during periods of June 1, 2024 to May 31, 2025 and June 1, 2025 to May 31, 2026, seeks comments on standards under consideration and recommendations for new standards.
Learn More🌾USDA Notice on Rural Development Cooperative Agreement Proposals
The USDA is seeking comments on an information collection regarding cooperative agreements that improve rural areas. This includes an initiative known as the Rural Placemaking Innovation Challenge (RPIC), designed to support planning and development in rural communities, potentially impacting funding opportunities for businesses targeting these regions.
Learn More🚬Changes to Tobacco Grading Regulations by USDA
This action removes and reserves subpart D, titled "Orders of Designation of Tobacco Markets" from the Code of Federal Regulations (CFR). The regulations subpart D are obsolete and unnecessary because The Fair and Equitable Tobacco Reform Act of 2004 eliminated mandatory grading of types of tobacco eligible for price support programs and a referendum of eligible producers voted in favor of terminating the designations for tobacco auction markets in June of 2005.
Learn More📊OMB Review Request
The Department of Agriculture is seeking public comments on information collection requirements related to agricultural statistics. Key surveys include the Cold Storage Survey and the Custom Work Survey, providing essential data that affects agricultural production, market analysis, and compliance with regulations, focusing on enhancing the quality and utility of collected information.
Learn More🌾USDA Terminates Federal Advisory Committees
On February 19, 2025, the President issued the Executive Order (E.O.), "Commencing the Reduction of the Federal Bureaucracy," which set forth the Administration's policy of reducing the size of the Federal Government in order to minimize waste, fraud, abuse, and inflation and to promote American freedom and innovation. The President's order directed the termination of several Federal advisory committees and ordered the identification of additional Federal Advisory Committees for termination.
Learn More🐔USDA Announces Reestablishment of National Poultry Improvement Committee
In accordance with the Federal Advisory Committee Act, the U.S. Department of Agriculture gives notice of the Secretary of Agriculture's intent to reestablish the committee and its charter for the General Conference Committee of the National Poultry Improvement Plan (Committee) for a 2-year period. The Secretary has determined that the Committee is necessary and in the public interest.
Learn More🧥Notice of Extension Request for Agriculture Wool Apparel Trust Fund
In accordance with the Paperwork Reduction Act (PRA) of 1995, this notice announces the intention of the Foreign Agricultural Service to request an extension of a currently approved information collection for the Agriculture Wool Apparel Manufacturers Trust Fund.
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