Search Results for agency_names:"Agriculture Department"

The U.S. Department of Agriculture's Agricultural Marketing Service (AMS) is asking for public comments about updating the Poultry Standards, which help classify poultry based on quality. These standards were last significantly revised in 1998 and need to be modernized to include new technology and consumer preferences. AMS wants feedback on how to make these standards more relevant for current technologies, industry practices, and the needs of consumers, companies, and smaller poultry operations. The public can submit comments electronically or by mail by March 17, 2025.

The Agricultural Marketing Service (AMS) is reopening the comment period for a proposed rule to amend the Lamb Promotion, Research, and Information Order. This rule change involves requiring market agencies to fully collect and remit assessments on lamb sales. The comment period, initially closed on December 4, 2020, is now extended to March 24, 2021, providing more time for stakeholders to give input. AMS is particularly interested in feedback on allowing flexible remittance schedules for smaller market agencies to reduce their regulatory burden.

The Animal and Plant Health Inspection Service (APHIS) has officially listed Panama and Costa Rica as regions affected by screwworm, due to confirmed cases in these countries. Effective July 12, 2021, for Panama and August 21, 2023, for Costa Rica, animals like horses, ruminants, swine, and dogs from these regions must meet specific import requirements before entering the United States. These include inspections and potential treatments to prevent screwworm from spreading. This action is based on reports from international veterinary authorities and aims to protect U.S. livestock and pets from the disease.

The U.S. Department of Agriculture has announced new income eligibility guidelines for the Special Supplemental Nutrition Program for Women, Infants, and Children (WIC), effective from July 1, 2025. These guidelines will help State agencies determine if someone can get help from WIC by comparing their family's income to federal poverty levels. The guidelines are updated every year and are linked to the standards set for reduced-price school meals. The notice includes tables with income limits for different areas, such as Alaska, Hawaii, and the 48 contiguous States.

The Rural Business-Cooperative Service of the USDA released a correction to a previous notice about the Rural Energy for America Program. The original notice contained mistakes regarding the points given for the size of the funding request and for applicants who hadn’t received grants or loan commitments in the past two years. The corrections specify that applicants who haven’t recently received funding can earn 5 extra points. Additionally, smaller grant requests can qualify for 10 extra points, with a total maximum score possible of 100 points for those applications.

The Rural Housing Service (RHS) of the USDA issued a correction to a rule published on January 3, 2025, related to amendments in the Single Family Housing Direct Loan and Guaranteed Loan Programs. Originally set to become effective on March 4, 2025, the rule's effective date has been delayed to May 5, 2025. This correction was published in the Federal Register and involves updates to improve and clarify the existing housing loan programs.

The Department of Agriculture is submitting a request for review and approval of their information collection requirements under the Paperwork Reduction Act. They seek public comments on whether the information collected is necessary, accurate, and useful. The National Agricultural Statistics Service aims to gather data on the stocks of grains, hops, oilseeds, and other crops to provide reports that aid government agencies, state agencies, and market participants. The information is collected from farms and businesses with around 9,925 respondents, and these reports serve as crucial economic indicators.

The Federal Crop Insurance Corporation published a correcting amendment to a rule that changes certain insurance provisions for crops like sunflower seed and dry pea. Originally, the amendments were published on November 30, 2020, but some changes were not properly included in the official regulations. This document fixes those errors by correcting dates, removing a repetitive word, and updating phrases within the insurance provisions. The changes to the regulation are effective starting February 24, 2021.

The Forest Service, part of the U.S. Department of Agriculture, is asking the public for comments on renewing and updating an information collection about non-timber forest products, which include items like plants, mushrooms, nuts, and sap that are gathered from forests and used for food, medicine, and cultural purposes. This survey aims to gather insights on how to manage these resources sustainably and understand their importance to local communities. The public can comment until February 28, 2025, and the Forest Service is looking to learn about ways to improve the quality and reduce the burden of collecting this information. All received comments will be made publicly available.

The Idaho Panhandle National Forest has decided to withdraw its earlier plan to prepare an Environmental Impact Statement (EIS) for the Noxious Weed Treatment Project. Instead, they will conduct an Environmental Assessment (EA) to check if significant effects exist that would require an EIS. This change was announced by the Forest Service, part of the USDA, and further information can be obtained from Anjel Tomayko, the Forest Environmental Coordinator.