This is a recommended decision regarding proposed amendments to Marketing Order No. 981 (order), which regulates the handling of almonds grown in California. Two amendments were proposed by the Almond Board of California (Board), which is responsible for local administration of the order. These proposed amendments would: authorize the

DEPARTMENT OF AGRICULTURE : Agricultural Marketing Service

Sunset of the exempted or prohibited use of substances under the National Organic Program (NOP) is required by the Organic Foods Production Act of 1990 (OFPA). This ANPR announces the sunset of 11 exempted substances and 1 prohibited substance added to the National List on November 3 and 4, 2003. This ANPR establishes November 3, 2008, as the date

DEPARTMENT OF AGRICULTURE : Agricultural Marketing Service

The Department of Agriculture (USDA), Agricultural Marketing Service (AMS) is establishing voluntary United States Standards for Grades of Tomatoes on the Vine. The standards are intended to provide industry with a common language and uniform basis for trading; thus, promoting orderly and efficient marketing of tomatoes on the vine (TOV).

DEPARTMENT OF AGRICULTURE : Agricultural Marketing Service

This rule revises the quantity of Class 3 (Native) spearmint oil that handlers may purchase from, or handle for, producers during the 20072008 marketing year. This rule increases the Native spearmint oil salable quantity from 1,162,336 pounds to 1,172,956 pounds, and the allotment percentage from 48 percent to 53 percent. The marketing order

DEPARTMENT OF AGRICULTURE : Agricultural Marketing Service

This action summarizes the results under the criteria contained in section 610 of the Regulatory Flexibility Act (RFA), of an Agricultural Marketing Service (AMS) review of Marketing Order No. 923, regulating the handling of sweet cherries grown in designated counties in Washington. AMS has determined that the marketing order should be continued.

DEPARTMENT OF AGRICULTURE : Agricultural Marketing Service

In accordance with the Paperwork Reduction Act of 1995 (44 U.S.C. Chapter 35), this notice announces the Agricultural Marketing Service's (AMS) intention to request approval from the Office of Management and Budget, for an extension of and revision to the currently approved information collection for Recordkeeping Requirements for Certified

DEPARTMENT OF AGRICULTURE : Agricultural Marketing Service

Notice is hereby given that the comment period on proposed changes in the regulatory periods when minimum grade, size, quality, and maturity requirements apply to southeastern California grapes under Marketing Order No. 925 (order), and to imported grapes under the table grape import regulation is reopened and extended until December 28, 2007.

DEPARTMENT OF AGRICULTURE : Agricultural Marketing Service

This final rule amends the U.S. Department of Agriculture's (USDA) National List of Allowed and Prohibited Substances (National List) regulations to enact recommendations submitted to the Secretary of Agriculture (Secretary) by the National Organic Standards Board (NOSB) from October 30, 2000, through March 3, 2005. Consistent with the

DEPARTMENT OF AGRICULTURE : Agricultural Marketing Service

In accordance with the Paperwork Reduction Act of 1995 (44 U.S.C. Chapter 35), this notice announces that the Agricultural Marketing Service (AMS) is requesting approval from the Office of Management and Budget of a new information collection ``Laboratory Approval Programs'' in support of U.S. agricultural commodities.

DEPARTMENT OF AGRICULTURE : Agricultural Marketing Service

The Agricultural Marketing Service (AMS) of the Department of Agriculture (USDA) is soliciting comments on the proposed revision to the United States Standards for Grades of Frozen Okra. AMS received a petition from the American Frozen Food Institute (AFFI) requesting that USDA revise the standards for frozen okra from a ``score point'' grading

DEPARTMENT OF AGRICULTURE : Agricultural Marketing Service

This proposed rule invites comments on the establishment of final free and restricted percentages for 200708 crop year tart cherries covered under the Federal marketing order regulating tart cherries grown in seven states (order). The percentages are 57 percent free and 43 percent restricted and will establish the proportion of cherries from the

DEPARTMENT OF AGRICULTURE : Agricultural Marketing Service

This rule invites comments on a modification of the minimum size requirements under the Colorado potato marketing order, Area No. 2. The marketing order regulates the handling of Irish potatoes grown in Colorado, and is administered locally by the Colorado Potato Administrative Committee, Area No. 2 (Committee). The minimum size requirements for

DEPARTMENT OF AGRICULTURE : Agricultural Marketing Service

This final rule amends the U.S. Department of Agriculture's (USDA) National List of Allowed and Prohibited Substances (National List) regulations to reflect recommendations submitted to the Secretary of Agriculture (Secretary) by the National Organic Standards Board (NOSB) on August 17, 2005. Consistent with the recommendations from the NOSB, this

DEPARTMENT OF AGRICULTURE : Agricultural Marketing Service

This rule would revise the maturity requirements currently prescribed for avocados grown in South Florida and for avocados imported into the United States that are shipped to the fresh market. The Avocado Administrative Committee (Committee) which locally administers the marketing order for avocados grown in South Florida recommended the change

DEPARTMENT OF AGRICULTURE : Agricultural Marketing Service

This rule changes the handling requirements currently authorized under the California pistachio marketing order (order). The order regulates the handling of pistachios grown in California and is administered locally by the Administrative Committee for Pistachios (committee). This rule suspends the minimum quality requirements, including maximum

DEPARTMENT OF AGRICULTURE : Agricultural Marketing Service

The Department of Agriculture (USDA) is adopting, as a final rule, without change, an interim final rule which decreased the assessment rate established for the Citrus Administrative Committee (Committee) for the 200708 and subsequent fiscal periods from $0.008 to $0.0072 per \4/5\ bushel carton of oranges, grapefruit, tangerines, and tangelos

DEPARTMENT OF AGRICULTURE : Agricultural Marketing Service

The Agricultural Marketing Service (AMS) is withdrawing the notice soliciting comments on its proposal to amend the voluntary United States Standards for Grades of Sweet Cherries. After reviewing and considering the comments received, the agency has decided not to proceed with this action.

DEPARTMENT OF AGRICULTURE : Agricultural Marketing Service

The Agricultural Marketing Service (AMS) announces the availability of approximately $1.3 million in competitive grant funds for fiscal year 2008 to enable States to explore new market opportunities for U.S. food and agricultural products and to encourage research and innovation aimed at improving the efficiency and performance of the U.S.

DEPARTMENT OF AGRICULTURE : Agricultural Marketing Service

The Agricultural Marketing Service (AMS) is seeking comments on a proposed voluntary standard for a naturally raised marketing claim. A number of livestock producers make claims associated with production practices in order to distinguish their products in the marketplace. There are a growing number of entities that wish to capture value added

DEPARTMENT OF AGRICULTURE : Agricultural Marketing Service

In accordance with the Paperwork Reduction Act of 1995 (44 U.S.C. Chapter 35), this notice announces the Agricultural Marketing Service's (AMS) intention to request approval, from the Office of Management and Budget, for an extension of and revision to the currently approved information collection for Tobacco Report.

DEPARTMENT OF AGRICULTURE : Agricultural Marketing Service

This rule decreases the assessment rate established for the Florida Tomato Committee (Committee) for the 200708 and subsequent fiscal periods from $0.035 to $0.0325 per 25pound carton of tomatoes handled. The Committee locally administers the marketing order which regulates the handling of tomatoes grown in Florida. Assessments upon tomato

DEPARTMENT OF AGRICULTURE : Agricultural Marketing Service

This notice sets forth the schedule and proposed agenda of a forthcoming meeting of the Plant Variety Protection Board.

DEPARTMENT OF AGRICULTURE : Agricultural Marketing Service

The Agricultural Marketing Service (AMS) proposes to increase the fees and charges for Federal voluntary egg, poultry, and rabbit grading, certification, and audit services for the next two fiscal years, FY 2008 and FY 2009. The fees and charges need to be increased by 2.76% to 7.74% to cover the increase in salaries of Federal employees, salary

DEPARTMENT OF AGRICULTURE : Agricultural Marketing Service

This rule increases the assessment rate established for the Prune Marketing Committee (Committee) for the 200708 and subsequent crop years from $0.40 to $0.60 per ton of salable dried prunes. [[Page 62410]]
The Committee locally administers the marketing order that regulates the handling of dried prunes in California. Assessments upon dried prune

DEPARTMENT OF AGRICULTURE : Agricultural Marketing Service

The Agricultural Marketing Service (AMS) is withdrawing an advance notice of proposed rulemaking soliciting comments on possible revisions to the voluntary United States Standards for Grades of Florida Avocados. After reviewing and considering the comments received, the agency has decided not to proceed further with this action.

DEPARTMENT OF AGRICULTURE : Agricultural Marketing Service