This section of the FEDERAL REGISTER

contains documents other than rules or

proposed rules that are applicable to the

public. Notices of hearings and investigations,

committee meetings, agency decisions and

rulings, delegations of authority, filing of

petitions and applications and agency

statements of organization and functions are

examples of documents appearing in this

section.

Notices Federal Register

41042 

Vol. 83, No. 160 

Friday, August 17, 2018 

DEPARTMENT OF AGRICULTURE 

Agricultural Marketing Service 

[Docket No. AMS–LPS–17–0046] 

United States Standards for Grades of 

Pork Carcasses 

AGENCY: Agricultural Marketing Service, 

USDA. 

ACTION: Notice. 

SUMMARY: This Notice informs the 

public that the U.S. Department of 

Agriculture’s (USDA) Agricultural 

Marketing Service (AMS) will not 

proceed with revisions to the United 

States Standards for Grades of Pork 

Carcasses (pork standards) at this time. 

DATES: August 17, 2018. 

ADDRESSES: USDA, AMS, Livestock and 

Poultry Program (LP), Quality 

Assessment Division (QAD); 1400 

Independence Ave. SW; Room 3932–S, 

STOP 0258; Washington, DC 20250– 

0258. 

FOR FURTHER INFORMATION CONTACT: 

David Bowden, Chief, Standardization 

Branch; USDA, AMS, LP, QAD; 1400 

Independence Avenue SW; Room 3932– 

S, STOP 0258; Washington, DC 20250– 

0258; phone (202) 690–3148; or via 

email at David.Bowden@ams.usda.gov. 

SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION: Official 

USDA grade standards and associated 

voluntary, fee-for-service grading 

programs are authorized under the 

Agricultural Marketing Act of 1946, as 

amended (7 U.S.C. 1621 et seq.) (the 

Act). Specifically, section 203(c) of the 

Act directs and authorizes the Secretary 

of Agriculture ‘‘to develop and improve 

standards of quality, condition, 

quantity, grade, and packaging and 

recommend and demonstrate such 

standards in order to encourage 

uniformity and consistency in 

commercial practices’’ (7 U.S.C. 

1622(c)). AMS is committed to carrying 

out this authority in a manner that 

facilitates the marketing of agricultural 

products. Accordingly, the primary 

purpose of USDA grade standards is to 

divide the population of a commodity 

into uniform groups (of similar quality, 

yield, value, etc.) to facilitate marketing. 

Currently, AMS maintains standards for 

a wide variety of commodities and in 

many cases, applies those standards to 

commodities on a fee-for-service basis. 

AMS recognizes that the pork 

standards must be relevant to be of 

value to stakeholders and, therefore, 

recommendations for changes in the 

standards may be initiated by AMS or 

by interested parties at any time to 

achieve that goal. AMS originally posted 

this Notice seeking comment on the 

revised pork standards on October 23, 

2017, with a closing date of December 

22, 2017. Subsequently, AMS reopened 

the Notice for an additional 60-day 

comment period, ending March 19, 

2018. 

Comments 

In all, 47 comments were received: 

There were 19 comments in favor of 

updating the pork standards, while 24 

were opposed; 2 only requested 

extending the comment period; and 2 

commenters did not clearly state a 

position. Responses received were 

representative of the pork industry and 

stakeholders, with the most comments 

coming from pork industry associations, 

packers, and producers. 

The 19 commenters in support of 

revised pork standards said that changes 

were needed in the pork industry to 

revitalize domestic consumer demand 

and that the updated standards may be 

helpful in addressing the decline in 

purchases of fresh pork products, citing 

data that the average American 

consumer buys fresh pork only seven 

times a year. Some commenters 

expressed that a revised standard could 

lead to a USDA fee-for-service grading 

program, which would enhance 

uniformity of pork quality and build 

consumer confidence in pork 

purchasing decisions. Commenters also 

said that the revisions were 

scientifically sound and applicable to 

pork quality attributes that are 

consumer-recognized and tied to an 

improved eating experience. While 

some recognized the challenge of 

implementing the proposed standards 

revisions via a grading program in the 

modern processing environment, they 

expressed support for a standardized, 

objective carcass grading system focused 

more on quality than percent lean. 

Most of the 24 comments against the 

proposed revisions were similar in 

nature and asserted the new grades 

would not add value for pork producers. 

Some commenters noted that the pork 

industry and individual companies have 

worked for many years to improve 

product quality attributes and promote 

their efforts through product branding 

and ‘‘niche’’ marketing, and the revised 

pork standards would endanger these 

efforts. Further, some commenters noted 

that proposed nomenclature of Prime, 

Choice, and Select, if implemented for 

pork, could result in devaluation of the 

established beef grading system. Pork 

packers and processors expressed 

concern that implementation of the 

revised pork standards would be 

impractical, in part because the 

technology available to accurately assess 

quality factors for pork is not yet 

effective while maintaining today’s 

processing line speeds. Commenters 

opposed to the revisions also expressed 

concern that implementation at this 

time would cause disruption to existing 

producer-packer relationships and 

established logistics. Others were 

concerned that application of the 

standard specifically to the loin primal 

without positive correlation with the 

remaining carcass parts would be 

misleading, and that any premium 

generated by applying the standards 

would not offset the cost of 

implementing a USDA fee-for-service 

grading program in the plant. 

A few commenters provided 

responses that were both for and against 

the revisions, outlining opportunities 

and challenges similar to those 

discussed above. All comments are 

available at the following website: 

https://www.regulations.gov/ 

docketBrowser?rpp=25&so=DESC&sb=

commentDueDate&po=0&dct=PS&D=

AMS-LPS-17-0046. 

Based on the responses received from 

the Notices, AMS will not pursue any 

revisions to the pork standards at this 

time. AMS stands ready to assist 

agricultural industries in establishing 

voluntary standards and grading 

programs for commodities for which it 

has authority to do so; the pork industry 

retains this option should the need 

arise. 


amozie on DSK3GDR082PROD with NOTICES1
Federal Register / Vol. 83, No. 160 / Friday, August 17, 2018 / Notices 41043 

Dated: August 13, 2018. 

Bruce Summers, 

Administrator, Agricultural Marketing 

Service. 

[FR Doc. 2018–17725 Filed 8–16–18; 8:45 am] 

BILLING CODE 3410–02–P 

DEPARTMENT OF AGRICULTURE 

Food and Nutrition Service 

Agency Information Collection 

Activities: Proposed Collection; 

Comment Request—Supplemental 

Nutrition Assistance Program (SNAP), 

Store Applications, Forms FNS–252, 

FNS–252–E, FNS–252–FE, FNS–252–R, 

FNS–252–2 and FNS–252–C 

AGENCY: Food and Nutrition Service 

(FNS), USDA. 

ACTION: Notice. 

SUMMARY: In accordance with the 

Paperwork Reduction Act of 1995, this 

notice invites the general public and 

other public agencies to comment on the 

proposed collection. This is a revision 

of a currently approved collection in the 

Supplemental Nutrition Assistance 

Program and concerns Retail Store 

Applications (Forms FNS–252; FNS– 

252–E; FNS–252–FE; FNS–252–R; FNS– 

252–2; and FNS–252–C). 

DATES: Written comments must be 

received on or before October 16, 2018. 

ADDRESSES: Comments are invited on: 

(a) Whether the proposed collection of 

information is necessary for the proper 

performance of the functions of the 

agency, including whether the 

information shall have practical utility; 

(b) the accuracy of the agency’s estimate 

of the burden of the proposed collection 

of information, including the validity of 

the methodology and assumptions used; 

(c) ways to enhance the quality, utility 

and clarity of the information to be 

collected; and (d) ways to minimize the 

burden of the collection of information 

on those who are to respond, including 

through the use of appropriate 

automated, electronic, mechanical or 

other technological collection 

techniques or other forms of information 

technology. 

Comments may be sent to: Nicole 

Budzius, Chief, Retailer Administration 

Branch, Supplemental Nutrition 

Assistance Program, Retailer Policy and 

Management Division, Food and 

Nutrition Service, U.S. Department of 

Agriculture, 3101 Park Center Drive, 

Room 422, Alexandria, VA 22302. 

Comments may be faxed to the attention 

of Ms. Budzius at (703) 305–1863 or via 

email to: RPMDHQ-WEB@fns.usda.gov. 

Comments will also be accepted through 

the Federal eRulemaking Portal. Go to 

http://www.regulations.gov, and follow 

the online instructions for submitting 

comments electronically. All written 

comments will be open for public 

inspection at the FNS office located at 

3101 Park Center Drive, Room 422, 

Alexandria, Virginia 22302, during 

regular business hours (8:30 a.m. to 5 

p.m. Monday through Friday). 

All responses to this notice will be 

summarized and included in the request 

for Office of Management and Budget 

approval. All comments will be a matter 

of public record. 

FOR FURTHER INFORMATION CONTACT: 

Requests for additional information or 

copies of this information collection 

should be directed to Nicole Budzius at 

RPMDHQ-WEB@fns.usda.gov. 

SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION: 

Title: Supplemental Nutrition 

Assistance Program (SNAP)—Store 

Applications. 

Form Number: FNS–252; 252–E; 252– 

FE; 252–R; 252–2; and 252–C. 

OMB Number: 0584–0008. 

Expiration Date: January 31, 2021. 

Type of Request: Revision of a 

currently approved collection of 

information. 

Abstract: Section 9(a) of the Food and 

Nutrition Act of 2008, as amended, (the 

Act) (7 U.S.C. 2011 et seq.) requires that 

FNS determine the eligibility of retail 

food stores and certain food service 

organizations to accept SNAP benefits 

and to monitor them for compliance and 

continued eligibility and to ensure 

Program integrity. 

FNS is also responsible for requiring 

updates to application information and 

reviewing retail food store applications 

at least once every five years to ensure 

that each firm is under the same 

ownership and continues to meet 

eligibility requirements. The Act 

specifies that only those applicants 

whose participation will ‘‘effectuate the 

purposes of the program’’ should be 

authorized. 

There are six forms associated with 

this approved Office of Management 

and Budget (OMB) information 

collection number 0584–0008—the 

Supplemental Nutrition Assistance 

Program Application for Stores, Forms 

FNS–252 (English and Spanish) and 

FNS–252–E (paper and online version 

respectively); Farmer’s Market 

Application, Form FNS–252–FE; Meal 

Service Application, Form FNS–252–2; 

Reauthorization Application, Form 

FNS–252–R; and the Corporation 

Supplemental Application, Form FNS– 

252–C used for individual (chain) stores 

under a corporation. For new 

authorizations, the majority of 

applicants use form FNS–252 or FNS– 

252–E (paper or online, respectively). 

FNS is responsible for reviewing retail 

food store applications at least once 

every five years to ensure that each firm 

is under the same ownership and 

continues to meet eligibility guidelines. 

In order to accomplish this regulatory 

requirement, form FNS–252–R is used 

for reauthorization. In addition to these 

forms, during authorization or 

reauthorization, FNS may conduct an 

on-site store visit of the firm. The store 

visit of the firm helps FNS confirm that 

the information provided on the 

application is correct. An FNS 

representative or store visit contractor 

obtains permission to fill in the store 

visit checklist, photograph the store and 

asks the store owner or manager about 

the continued ownership of the store. 

Applicants using form FNS–252–E or 

FNS–252–FE must also first self-register 

for a Level 1 access account through the 

USDA eAuthentication system in order 

to start an online application. USDA 

eAuthentication facilitates the 

electronic authentication of an 

individual. 

The Agricultural Act of 2014 (2014 

Farm Bill) amended the Food and 

Nutrition Act of 2008 (the Act) and the 

Supplemental Nutrition Assistance 

Program (SNAP) revised all retailer 

application forms (paper and electronic) 

in January, 2018, as a result of 

regulatory changes required by the Act 

and amended by the 2014 Farm Bill. 

Such changes to the Act amended the 

definition of ‘‘retail food store’’ to 

clarify when a retailer is a restaurant 

rather than a retail food store. Among 

the changes made to the SNAP retailer 

application form(s), the Food and 

Nutrition Service (FNS) added a new 

question, Question 18, concerning 

restaurant licensing, and revised 

Question 22, regarding total retail sales 

on Form FNS–252. Currently, 

respondents select a Yes or No response 

if they have or are applying for a 

restaurant license for their store in 

Question 18. Question 22 currently asks 

retailers to enter their total retail sales 

by category in dollars for a one year 

period. Sales categories include 

gasoline, lottery, tobacco, alcohol, other 

nonfood, and hot foods, cold prepared 

foods, accessory foods, and staple foods. 

Due to concern with the manner in 

which FNS is currently asking for 

retailer sales data, FNS is updating the 

retailer application question regarding 

sales. FNS is also removing the question 

concerning restaurant licensing and the 

requirement for businesses located in 

community property states to provide 

spousal information for each owner. 

Question 22 will revert back to asking 


amozie on DSK3GDR082PROD with NOTICES1