Search Results for agency_names:"Agricultural Marketing Service"

The Agricultural Marketing Service of the USDA has delayed the effective date of a rule regarding plant records for the Dairy Grading and Inspection Program. Originally set for January 16, 2025, the rule's new effective date is March 21, 2025. This rule allows butterfat tests to be conducted at either in-house or third-party labs and requires records to be available for USDA inspector review. The delay is part of a regulatory review to ensure compliance with a recent presidential memorandum.

The United States Department of Agriculture (USDA) has issued a final rule through its Agricultural Marketing Service (AMS) to amend the USDA organic regulations with new standards for organic mushroom production and pet food handling. This rule clarifies standards such as the composition and sourcing of materials used in organic mushroom production and the use of synthetic nutrients like taurine in organic pet food. These amendments aim to resolve inconsistencies in existing regulations to promote fair competition and market growth for both organic mushrooms and pet food. The rule is effective February 21, 2025, with compliance required by February 22, 2027.

The Agricultural Marketing Service (AMS) of the USDA has issued a final rule revising the fee structure for Section 8e import inspections of fresh fruits, vegetables, and other products. Inspections will now be charged on a per-pound basis instead of a per-carlot basis, with a significant reduction in additional sublot fees by 50%. This change aims to better reflect the actual inspection costs and reduce financial impact on smaller shipments. The rule is expected to result in equal or lower fees for about 77% of the inspections conducted over recent years and is designed to avoid disproportionately burdening small businesses.

The Agricultural Marketing Service of the USDA is announcing a virtual meeting of the National Organic Standards Board (NOSB) from April 28 to April 30, 2021, to discuss and vote on recommendations related to organic agriculture. The board will also receive updates from the USDA National Organic Program and hear public comments. Interested members of the public can submit their comments online by April 5, 2021, or participate in webinars on April 20 and April 22, 2021. The meeting is open to everyone, but registration is required for those who wish to provide oral comments.

The Agricultural Marketing Service (AMS) is seeking applications from individuals or organizations interested in providing official services in various areas currently served by designated agencies like Champaign-Danville Grain Inspection Departments, Detroit Grain Inspection Service, and others. The current designations will end on specific dates, and interested parties must submit their applications by March 24, 2021. The AMS encourages diversity among applicants by welcoming submissions from traditionally underrepresented groups. Additionally, the AMS is inviting comments on the quality of services provided by these agencies, which will be considered in the designation process.

The Department of Agriculture's Agricultural Marketing Service has approved a recommendation to increase the assessment rate for watermelons under the Watermelon Research and Promotion Plan. The new rate boosts the assessment from six to nine cents per hundredweight. Domestic producers with 10 acres or more and domestic handlers will each pay four and a half cents per hundredweight, while importers of 150,000 pounds or more will pay nine cents per hundredweight. This increase aims to address inflation's impact on the plan’s buying power and continues to support marketing and research efforts, benefiting the watermelon industry overall. The rule also includes administrative corrections without changing the assessment rate.

The Agricultural Marketing Service of the USDA has ordered a referendum among potato producers in certain counties in Idaho and Malheur County, Oregon. This referendum will determine whether these producers want to continue the existing marketing order that manages how their Irish potatoes are handled. The voting process will take place from April 12 to April 30, 2021, and is open to those who grew potatoes between August 1, 2019, and July 31, 2020. If at least two-thirds of the producers voting, or those representing two-thirds of the potato volume, support continuation, the order will remain in effect.

The Agricultural Marketing Service (AMS) under the USDA has reopened the comment period for changes to the mycotoxin test kit criteria. This extension is announced to ensure that interested individuals have sufficient time to review and comment on these proposed changes, with comments now due by March 24, 2021. This decision follows a request from four stakeholders to allow more time for feedback after the initial comment period ended on January 19, 2021. Participants are encouraged to submit their comments via the Federal e-rulemaking portal, with all submissions becoming public on the internet.

The Agricultural Marketing Service is seeking public comments on an extension and revision of an existing information collection under the Packers and Stockyards Act. This information helps monitor the livestock, meat packing, and poultry industries and ensures entities are complying with financial and trade practices. Comments are being accepted until January 31, 2025, and the public can provide input on the necessity, utility, and methods of this data collection. The agency estimates that participating in this collection will require an average of 1.73 hours per response from various stakeholders like livestock auction markets and meat packers.

The Agricultural Marketing Service (AMS) has announced proposed changes to the boundaries of areas where official service providers perform inspections and weighing services for grains under the United States Grain Standards Act. These updates are required because of changes to landmarks and infrastructures once used to mark these boundaries. The proposal aims to ensure that grain inspection services are delivered efficiently and accurately. AMS invites the public to comment on these proposals until February 12, 2025.