This section of the FEDERAL REGISTER

contains notices to the public of the proposed

issuance of rules and regulations. The

purpose of these notices is to give interested

persons an opportunity to participate in the

rule making prior to the adoption of the final

rules.

Proposed Rules Federal Register

96126 

Vol. 89, No. 233 

Wednesday, December 4, 2024 

DEPARTMENT OF AGRICULTURE 

Agricultural Marketing Service 

7 CFR Part 985 

[Doc. No. AMS–SC–24–0067] 

Marketing Order Regulating the 

Handling of Spearmint Oil Produced in 

the Far West; Revision of the Salable 

Quantity and Allotment Percentage for 

Class 3 (Native) Spearmint Oil for the 

2024–2025 Marketing Year 

AGENCY: Agricultural Marketing Service, 

USDA. 

ACTION: Proposed rule. 

SUMMARY: This proposed rule would 

implement a recommendation from the 

Far West Spearmint Oil Administrative 

Committee (Committee) to revise the 

quantity of Class 3 (Native) spearmint 

oil that handlers may purchase from, or 

handle on behalf of, producers in 

Washington, Idaho, and Oregon and 

parts of Nevada and Utah (Far West) for 

the 2024–2025 marketing year, which 

began on June 1, 2024. This action 

would increase the 2024–2025 

marketing year Native spearmint oil 

salable quantity from 678,980 pounds to 

731,220 pounds, and the allotment 

percentage from 26 percent to 28 

percent. 

DATES: Comments must be received by 

December 19, 2024. 

ADDRESSES: Interested persons are 

invited to submit written comments 

concerning this proposed rule. 

Comments may be sent to the Docket 

Clerk, Market Development Division, 

Specialty Crops Program, AMS, USDA, 

1400 Independence Avenue SW, STOP 

0237, Washington, DC 20250–0237. 

Comments may also be submitted to the 

Docket Clerk electronically by email: 

MarketingOrderComment@usda.gov or 

via the internet at: https://

www.regulations.gov. Comments should 

reference the document number and the 

date and page number of this issue of 

the Federal Register. Comments 

submitted in response to this proposed 

rule will be included in the record and 

will be made available to the public and 

can be viewed at: https://

www.regulations.gov. Please be advised 

that the identity of the individuals or 

entities submitting the comments will 

be made public on the internet at the 

address provided above. 

FOR FURTHER INFORMATION CONTACT: 

Joshua R. Wilde, Marketing Specialist, 

or Barry Broadbent, Chief, Northwest 

Region Branch, Market Development 

Division, Specialty Crops Program, 

AMS, USDA; Telephone: (503) 326– 

2282, or Email: Joshua.R.Wilde@

usda.gov or Barry.Broadbent@usda.gov. 

Small businesses may request 

information on complying with this 

regulation by contacting Richard Lower, 

Market Development Division, Specialty 

Crops Program, AMS, USDA, 1400 

Independence Avenue SW, STOP 0237, 

Washington, DC 20250–0237; 

Telephone: (202) 720–8085, or Email: 

Richard.Lower@usda.gov. 

SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION: This 

action, pursuant to 5 U.S.C. 553, 

proposes to amend regulations issued to 

carry out a marketing order as defined 

in 7 CFR 900.2(j). This proposed rule is 

issued under Marketing Order No. 985, 

as amended (7 CFR part 985), regulating 

the handling of spearmint oil produced 

in the Far West. Part 985 (referred to as 

the ‘‘Order’’) is effective under the 

Agricultural Marketing Agreement Act 

of 1937, as amended (7 U.S.C. 601–674), 

hereinafter referred to as the ‘‘Act.’’ The 

Committee locally administers the 

Order and comprises spearmint oil 

producers operating within the area of 

production, and a public member. 

The Agricultural Marketing Service 

(AMS) is issuing this proposed rule in 

conformance with Executive Orders 

12866, 13563, and 14094. Executive 

Orders 12866 and 13563 direct agencies 

to assess all costs and benefits of 

available regulatory alternatives and, if 

regulation is necessary, to select 

regulatory approaches that maximize 

net benefits (including potential 

economic, environmental, public health 

and safety effects, distributive impacts, 

and equity). Executive Order 13563 

emphasizes the importance of 

quantifying both costs and benefits, 

reducing costs, harmonizing rules, and 

promoting flexibility. Executive Order 

14094 reaffirms, supplements, and 

updates Executive Order 12866 and 

further directs agencies to solicit and 

consider input from a wide range of 

affected and interested parties through a 

variety of means. This proposed action 

falls within a category of regulatory 

actions that the Office of Management 

and Budget (OMB) exempted from 

Executive Order 12866 review. 

This proposed rule has been reviewed 

under Executive Order 13175— 

Consultation and Coordination with 

Indian Tribal Governments, which 

requires Federal agencies to consider 

whether their rulemaking actions would 

have Tribal implications. AMS has 

determined that this proposed rule is 

unlikely to have substantial direct 

effects on one or more Indian Tribes, on 

the relationship between the Federal 

Government and Indian Tribes, or on 

the distribution of power and 

responsibilities between the Federal 

Government and Indian Tribes. 

This proposed rule has been reviewed 

under Executive Order 12988—Civil 

Justice Reform. This proposed rule is 

not intended to have retroactive effect. 

Under the Order now in effect, salable 

quantities and allotment percentages 

have been established for classes of 

spearmint oil produced in the Far West. 

This proposed rule would increase the 

quantity of Native Spearmint oil 

produced in the Far West that handlers 

may purchase from, or handle on behalf 

of, producers during the 2024–2025 

marketing year, which began on June 1, 

2024. 

The Act provides that administrative 

proceedings must be exhausted before 

parties may file suit in court. Under 

section 608c(15)(A) of the Act, any 

handler subject to an order may file 

with the U.S. Department of Agriculture 

(USDA) a petition stating that the order, 

any provision of the order, or any 

obligation imposed in connection with 

the order is not in accordance with law 

and request a modification of the order 

or to be exempted therefrom. Such 

handler is afforded the opportunity for 

a hearing on the petition. After the 

hearing, USDA would rule on the 

petition. The Act provides that the 

district court of the United States in any 

district in which the handler is an 

inhabitant, or has his or her principal 

place of business, has jurisdiction to 

review USDA’s ruling on the petition, 

provided an action is filed not later than 

20 days after the date of the entry of the 

ruling. 


ddrumheller on DSK120RN23PROD with PROPOSALS1
Federal Register / Vol. 89, No. 233 / Wednesday, December 4, 2024 / Proposed Rules 96127 

This proposal invites comments on 

revisions to the quantity of Native 

spearmint oil that handlers may 

purchase from, or handle on behalf of, 

producers during the 2024–2025 

marketing year. Prior to this proposed 

rule, the salable quantity and allotment 

percentage for Native spearmint oil was 

initially established at 678,980 pounds 

and 26 percent, respectively, in a final 

rule published May 23, 2024 (89 FR 

45557). This proposed rule would 

increase the Native spearmint oil salable 

quantity from 678,980 pounds to 

731,220 pounds and the allotment 

percentage from 26 percent to 28 

percent. 

Pursuant to the requirements in 

§ 985.50 of the Order, the Committee 

meets each year to consider supply and 

demand of spearmint oil and to adopt a 

marketing policy for the ensuing 

marketing year. In determining such 

marketing policy, the Committee 

considers several factors, including, but 

not limited to, the current and projected 

supply of oil, estimated future demand, 

production costs, and producer prices 

for both Class 1 (Scotch) and Class 3 

(Native) spearmint oil. Input from 

spearmint oil handlers and producers 

are considered as well. 

Pursuant to the provisions in § 985.51, 

when the Committee’s marketing policy 

considerations indicate a need to 

establish or to maintain stable market 

conditions through volume regulation, 

the Committee subsequently 

recommends to AMS the establishment 

of a salable quantity and allotment 

percentage for such class or classes of 

oil for the upcoming marketing year. 

Recommendations for volume control 

are intended to ensure market 

requirements for Far West spearmint oil 

are satisfied and orderly marketing 

conditions are maintained. 

Salable quantity represents the total 

quantity of each class of oil (Scotch or 

Native) which handlers may purchase 

from, or handle on behalf of, producers 

during a given marketing year. The 

allotment percentage for each class of 

spearmint oil is the salable quantity for 

that class of oil divided by the total of 

all producers’ allotment base for the 

same class of oil. A producer’s allotment 

base is their calculated share of the 

spearmint oil market based on a 

statistical representation of past 

spearmint production and sales. In 

order to account for changes in 

production and demand over time, the 

Committee periodically reviews and 

adjusts each producer’s allotment base 

in accordance with a formula prescribed 

by the Committee and approved by 

AMS. Each producer’s annual allotment 

of the salable quantity is calculated by 

multiplying their respective allotment 

base for each class of spearmint oil by 

the allotment percentage for that class of 

spearmint oil. The total allotment base 

is revised each year on June 1 to account 

for producer allotment base being lost 

because of the ‘‘bona fide effort’’ 

production provision of § 985.53(e) and 

additional base made available pursuant 

to the provisions of § 985.153. 

The Committee met on October 11, 

2023, to consider its marketing policy 

for the 2024–2025 marketing year. At 

that meeting, the Committee determined 

that, based on the current market and 

supply conditions, volume regulation 

for both classes of oil would be 

necessary. The Committee unanimously 

recommended salable quantities and 

allotment percentages for Native 

spearmint oil of 678,980 pounds and 26 

percent, respectively. In addition, the 

Committee unanimously recommended 

a salable quantity and allotment 

percentage for Scotch spearmint oil of 

663,648 pounds and 29 percent, 

respectively. A proposed rule to that 

effect was published in the Federal 

Register on January 25, 2024 (89 FR 

4835). Comments on the proposed rule 

were solicited from interested persons 

until February 26, 2024. No comments 

were received. Subsequently, a final 

rule establishing the salable quantities 

and allotment percentages for Scotch 

and Native spearmint oil for the 2024– 

2025 marketing year was published in 

the Federal Register on May 23, 2024 

(89 FR 45557). 

Pursuant to authority contained in 

§§ 985.50, 985.51, and 985.52, the 

Committee met again on October 9, 

2024, to evaluate the current year’s 

volume control regulation. At the 

meeting, the Committee assessed the 

current market conditions for spearmint 

oil in relation to the salable quantities 

and allotment percentages established 

for the 2024–2025 marketing year. The 

Committee considered several factors, 

including the current and projected 

supply and the estimated future demand 

for all classes of spearmint oil. The 

Committee determined that the 

established salable quantity and 

allotment percentage in effect for Native 

spearmint oil for the 2024–2025 

marketing year should be increased to 

provide an adequate buffer to ensure 

available supply would continue to 

meet demand. 

At the October 9, 2024, meeting, the 

Committee recommended increasing the 

2024–2025 marketing year Native 

spearmint oil salable quantity from 

678,980 pounds to 731,220 pounds and 

the allotment percentage from 26 

percent to 28 percent. The 

recommendation to increase the salable 

quantity and allotment percentage 

passed with a vote of 6 in favor with 2 

opposed. The members voting against 

the recommendation supported volume 

control, but did not believe that 

additional supply would be necessary to 

meet 2024–2025 marketing year 

demand. 

Accordingly, this proposed rule 

would make additional amounts of 

Native spearmint oil available to the 

market by increasing the salable 

quantity and allotment percentage 

previously established under the Order 

for the 2024–2025 marketing year. This 

proposed rule would increase the Native 

spearmint oil salable quantity by 52,240 

pounds, to 731,220 pounds, and would 

raise the allotment percentage 2 

percentage points, to 28 percent. Such 

additional oil could come from 2024– 

2025 marketing year production or from 

releasing Native spearmint oil held by 

producers in the reserve pool. As of May 

31, 2024, the Committee records show 

that the reserve pool for Native 

spearmint oil contained 1,026,336 

pounds of oil. 

At the October 9, 2024, meeting, the 

Committee staff reported, as of the 

meeting date, there was an estimated 

356,302 pounds of salable quantity of 

Native spearmint available for purchase 

in the 2024–2025 marketing year, 

ending May 31, 2025. The Committee 

considered this amount to be low for 

this early in the marketing year. Based 

on the Committee’s estimated sales 

demand for Native spearmint oil for the 

remainder of the 2024–2025 marketing 

year, the Committee projected that 

approximately 125,000 pounds of 

Native spearmint oil may be carried into 

the 2025–2026 marketing year. 

However, the Committee was concerned 

that, without increasing the salable 

quantity and allotment percentage, the 

market for Native spearmint oil may be 

shorted if demand were to increase 

unexpectedly. The increased quantity of 

Native spearmint oil (52,240 pounds) 

that would be made available to the 

market because of this rulemaking 

would ensure that market demand is 

fully satisfied in the current year. 

Should the available supply of Native 

spearmint oil exceed 2024–2025 

marketing year demand, any unsold 

quantity would remain available to the 

market in future marketing years as 

salable carry-in. 

In making the recommendation to 

increase the salable quantity and 

allotment percentage of Native 

spearmint oil, the Committee 

considered all currently available 

information on the price, supply, and 

demand of Native spearmint oil. The 

Committee also considered reports and 


ddrumheller on DSK120RN23PROD with PROPOSALS1
96128 Federal Register / Vol. 89, No. 233 / Wednesday, December 4, 2024 / Proposed Rules 

other information from handlers and 

producers in attendance at the meeting. 

Lastly, the Committee manager 

presented information and reports that 

were provided to the Committee staff by 

handlers and producers. 

This proposal would increase the 

2024–2025 marketing year Native 

spearmint oil salable quantity by 52,240 

pounds to a total of 731,220 pounds. 

This amount, along with 446,420 

pounds of salable carry-in, would result 

in available supply of 1,177,640 pounds. 

The Committee estimates 2024–2025 

marketing year trade demand for Native 

spearmint oil to be 1,000,000 pounds. 

Actual sales of Native spearmint oil for 

the 2023–2024 marketing year totaled 

987,041 pounds. The 5-year average of 

Native spearmint oil sales is 1,085,916 

pounds. 

The Committee estimates that this 

action would result in approximately 

175,000 pounds of salable Native 

spearmint oil could be carried into the 

2025–2026 marketing year which begins 

June 1, 2025. The Committee believes 

that this amount to be a sufficient buffer 

if demand exceeds the Committee’s 

expectations for the remainder of the 

2024–2025 marketing year. In addition, 

reserve pool oil could be released into 

the market under a future relaxation of 

the volume regulation should it be 

necessary to adequately supply the 

market prior to the beginning of the 

2025–2026 marketing year. The 

Committee estimates that a total of 

1,335,150 pounds of Native spearmint 

oil (1,026,336 currently in reserve and 

an estimated 308,814 pounds of excess 

oil produced during the 2024–2025 

marketing year) would be available from 

the reserve pool, if needed. 

The Committee’s stated intent in the 

use of the Order’s volume control 

regulation is to keep adequate supply 

available to meet market needs and to 

maintain orderly marketing conditions. 

With that consideration, the Committee 

developed its recommendation for 

increasing the Native spearmint oil 

salable quantity and allotment 

percentage for the 2024–2025 marketing 

year based on the information discussed 

above, as well as the summary data 

detailed below. 

(A) Initial Estimated 2024–2025 

Native Allotment Base—2,611,463 

pounds. This figure is the allotment 

base estimate on which the original 

2024–2025 salable quantity and 

allotment percentage was based. 

(B) Revised 2024–2025 Native 

Allotment Base—2,611,500 pounds. 

This figure is 37 pounds more than the 

initial estimated allotment base of 

2,611,463 pounds. The difference is the 

result of annual adjustments made to 

the allotment base at the beginning of 

the marketing year in accordance with 

the provisions of the Order. 

(C) Initial 2024–2025 Native 

Allotment Percentage—26 percent. This 

percentage was unanimously 

recommended by the Committee on 

October 11, 2023. 

(D) Initial 2024–2025 Native Salable 

Quantity—678,980 pounds. This figure 

is 26 percent of the original estimated 

2024–2025 allotment base of 2,611,463 

pounds. 

(E) Adjusted Initial 2024–2025 Native 

Salable Quantity—678,990 pounds. 

This figure reflects the salable quantity 

available at the beginning of the 2024– 

2025 marketing year. This quantity is 

derived by applying the initial 26 

percent allotment percentage to the 

revised allotment base of 2,611,500. 

(F) Proposed Revision to the 2024– 

2025 Native Salable Quantity and 

Allotment Percentage: 

(1) Proposed Increase in the Native 

Allotment Percentage—2 percent. The 

Committee recommended an increase of 

2 percentage points over the initial 

Native allotment percentage. 

(2) Proposed Revised 2024–2025 

Native Allotment Percentage—28 

percent. This percentage was derived by 

adding the increase of 2 percentage 

points to the initially established 2024– 

2025 Native allotment percentage of 26 

percent. 

(3) Proposed Revised 2024–2025 

Native Salable Quantity—731,220 

pounds. This figure is 28 percent of the 

revised 2024–2025 Native allotment 

base of 2,611,500 pounds. 

(4) Computed Increase in the 2024– 

2025 Native Salable Quantity as a 

Result of the Proposed Revision—52,240 

pounds. This figure represents the 

difference between the initial 2024– 

2025 Native salable quantity of 678,980 

pounds and the proposed Native salable 

quantity of 731,220 pounds. 

Scotch spearmint oil is also regulated 

by the Order. As mentioned previously, 

a salable quantity and allotment 

percentage for Scotch spearmint oil was 

established in a final rule published in 

the Federal Register on May 23, 2024 

(89 FR 45557). At the October 9, 2024, 

meeting, the Committee considered the 

projected production, inventory, and 

marketing conditions for Scotch 

spearmint oil for the 2024–2025 

marketing year. After receiving reports 

from the Committee staff and comments 

from the industry, the consensus of the 

Committee was that the previously 

established salable quantity and 

allotment percentage for Scotch 

spearmint oil was appropriate for the 

current market conditions. As such, the 

Committee took no further action with 

regards to Scotch spearmint oil for the 

2024–2025 marketing year. 

This proposed rule would relax the 

volume regulation requirements of 

Native spearmint oil and would allow 

producers to meet market demand while 

improving producer returns. The 

proposed increase in the Native 

spearmint oil salable quantity and 

allotment percentage would account for 

the anticipated market needs for that 

class of oil. In determining anticipated 

market needs, the Committee 

considered changes and trends in 

historical sales, production, and 

demand. In conjunction with the 

issuance of this proposed rule, AMS has 

reviewed the Committee’s marketing 

policy statement for the 2024–2025 

marketing year. The Committee’s 

marketing policy statement, a 

requirement whenever the Committee 

recommends volume regulation, meets 

the requirements of §§ 985.50 and 

985.51. 

Initial Regulatory Flexibility Analysis 

Pursuant to requirements set forth in 

the Regulatory Flexibility Act (RFA) (5 

U.S.C. 601–612), AMS has considered 

the economic impact of this proposed 

rule on small entities. Accordingly, 

AMS has prepared this initial regulatory 

flexibility analysis. 

The purpose of the RFA is to fit 

regulatory actions to the scale of 

businesses subject to such actions in 

order that small businesses will not be 

unduly or disproportionately burdened. 

Marketing orders issued pursuant to the 

Act, and the rules issued thereunder, are 

unique in that they are brought about 

through group action of essentially 

small entities acting on their own 

behalf. 

There are approximately 89 producers 

of Native spearmint oil operating within 

the regulated production area. In 

addition, there are approximately 6 

Native spearmint oil handlers subject to 

regulation under the Order. Small 

agricultural service firms are defined by 

the Small Business Administration 

(SBA) as those having annual receipts of 

equal to or less than $34.0 million 

(Postharvest Crop Activities, NAICS 

code 11514). Small agricultural 

producers of spearmint oil are defined 

as those having annual receipts of equal 

to or less than $2.5 million (All Other 

Miscellaneous Crop Farming, NAICS 

code 111998) (13 CFR 121.201). 

The National Agricultural Statistics 

Service (NASS) reported that the 2023 

U.S. season average spearmint oil 

producer price per pound was $18.40 

(both Scotch and Native). Native 

spearmint oil utilization for the 2023– 

2024 marketing year, as reported by the 


ddrumheller on DSK120RN23PROD with PROPOSALS1
Federal Register / Vol. 89, No. 233 / Wednesday, December 4, 2024 / Proposed Rules 96129 

Committee, was 987,041 pounds for 

Native spearmint oil. Multiplying 

$18.40 per pound by 2023–2024 

marketing year spearmint oil utilization 

of 987,041 pounds yields a crop value 

estimate of about $18.2 million. 

Given the accounting requirements for 

the volume regulation provisions of the 

Order, the Committee maintains 

accurate records of each producer’s 

production and sales. Using the $18.40 

average spearmint oil price and 

Committee production data for each 

producer, the Committee estimates that 

all of the 89 Native spearmint oil 

producers could be classified as small 

entities under the SBA definition. 

There is no third-party or 

governmental entity that collects and 

reports spearmint oil prices received by 

spearmint oil handlers. However, the 

Committee estimates an average 

spearmint oil handling markup at 

approximately 20 percent of the price 

received by producers. Twenty percent 

of the 2023 producer price ($18.40) is 

$3.68, which results in a handler Free 

on Board (f.o.b.) price per pound 

estimate of $22.08 ($18.40 + $3.68). 

Multiplying this estimated handler 

f.o.b. price by the 2023–2024 marketing 

year total spearmint oil utilization of 

1,536,364 pounds (987,041 pounds of 

Native + 549,323 pounds of Scotch) 

results in an estimated handler-level 

spearmint oil value of $33.9 million. 

Dividing this figure by the number of 

handlers (6) yields estimated average 

annual handler receipts of about $5.7 

million, which is well below the $34.0 

million SBA threshold for small 

agricultural service firms. 

Furthermore, using confidential data 

compiled by the Committee on the 

pounds of spearmint oil handled by 

each handler and the abovementioned 

estimated handler price per pound, the 

Committee reported that it is not likely 

that any of the six handlers had 2023– 

2024 marketing year spearmint oil sales 

that exceeded SBA’s threshold. 

Therefore, in view of the foregoing, 

the majority of producers of spearmint 

oil may be classified as small entities, 

and all of the handlers of spearmint oil 

may be classified as small entities. 

This proposed rule would increase 

the quantity of Native spearmint oil 

produced in the Far West, which 

handlers may purchase from, or handle 

on behalf of, producers during the 

2024–2025 marketing year, which ends 

May 31, 2025. The 2024–2025 marketing 

year Native spearmint oil salable 

quantity was initially established at 

678,980 pounds and the allotment 

percentage initially set at 26 percent. 

This proposed rule would increase the 

Native spearmint oil salable quantity to 

731,220 pounds and the allotment 

percentage to 28 percent. The 

Committee recommended this proposed 

action to help maintain stability in the 

spearmint oil market by matching 

supply to estimated demand, thereby 

avoiding extreme fluctuations in 

supplies and prices. Establishing 

quantities that may be purchased from 

or handled on behalf of producers 

during the marketing year through 

volume regulation allows producers to 

coordinate their spearmint oil 

production with the expected market 

demand. Authority for this proposal is 

provided in §§ 985.50, 985.51, and 

985.52 of the Order. 

Based on the information and 

projections available at the October 9, 

2024, meeting, the Committee 

considered several alternatives to this 

increase. The Committee considered 

leaving the salable quantity and 

allotment percentage unchanged, and 

also considered other potential levels of 

increase. The Committee reached its 

recommendation to increase the salable 

quantity and allotment percentage for 

Native spearmint oil after careful 

consideration of all available 

information and input from all 

interested industry participants and 

believes that the levels recommended 

would achieve the desired objectives. 

The recommendation to increase the 

salable quantity and allotment 

percentage passed with a vote of 6 in 

favor with 2 opposed. The members 

voting against the recommendation 

supported volume control, but did not 

believe that additional supply would be 

necessary to meet 2024–2025 marketing 

year demand. Without the increase, the 

Committee believes the industry may 

not be able to satisfactorily meet market 

demand. 

The Committee’s meeting was widely 

publicized throughout the spearmint oil 

industry and all interested persons were 

invited to attend the meeting and 

participate in Committee deliberations 

on all issues. Like all Committee 

meetings, the October 9, 2024, meeting 

was a public meeting and all entities, 

both large and small, were able to 

express views on this issue. Finally, 

interested persons are invited to submit 

comments on this proposed rule, 

including the regulatory and 

informational impacts of this action on 

small businesses. 

In accordance with the Paperwork 

Reduction Act of 1995, (44 U.S.C. 

Chapter 35), the Order’s information 

collection requirements have been 

previously approved by OMB and 

assigned OMB No. 0581–0178, 

Vegetable and Specialty Crops. No 

changes in those requirements would be 

necessary because of this proposed rule. 

Should any changes become necessary, 

they would be submitted to OMB for 

approval. 

This proposed rule would relax the 

volume regulation requirements 

established under the Order. 

Accordingly, this action would not 

impose any additional reporting or 

recordkeeping requirements on either 

small or large Far West spearmint oil 

handlers. As with all Federal marketing 

order programs, reports and forms are 

periodically reviewed to reduce 

information requirements and 

duplication by industry and public 

sector agencies. 

AMS is committed to complying with 

the E-Government Act, to promote the 

use of the internet and other 

information technologies to provide 

increased opportunities for citizen 

access to Government information and 

services, and for other purposes. 

AMS has not identified any relevant 

Federal rules that duplicate, overlap, or 

conflict with this proposed rule. 

A small business guide on complying 

with fruit, vegetable, and specialty crop 

marketing agreements and orders may 

be viewed at: https://

www.ams.usda.gov/rules-regulations/ 

moa/small-businesses. Any questions 

about the compliance guide should be 

sent to Richard Lower at the previously 

mentioned address in the FOR FURTHER

INFORMATION CONTACT section. 

After consideration of all relevant 

material presented, including the 

information and recommendations 

submitted by the Committee and other 

available information, AMS has 

determined that this proposed rule is 

consistent with and would effectuate 

the purposes of the Act. 

A 15-day comment period is provided 

to allow interested persons to respond 

to this proposal. Fifteen days is deemed 

appropriate because handlers are aware 

of this proposed regulatory relaxation, 

which was recommended by the 

Committee at a public meeting, and the 

subject matter of this proposal is not 

complex. The 2024–2025 marketing year 

ends on May 31, 2025. For the 

additional salable quantity proposed in 

this rule to be available to the market, 

timely consideration of the proposal is 

essential to ensure orderly market 

conditions. AMS will consider all 

timely comments received before 

making a final determination on this 

matter. 

List of Subjects in 7 CFR Part 985 

Marketing agreements, Oils and fats, 

Reporting and recordkeeping 

requirements. 


ddrumheller on DSK120RN23PROD with PROPOSALS1
96130 Federal Register / Vol. 89, No. 233 / Wednesday, December 4, 2024 / Proposed Rules 

For the reasons set forth in the 

preamble, the Agricultural Marketing 

Service proposes to amend 7 CFR part 

985 as follows: 

PART 985—MARKETING ORDER 

REGULATING THE HANDLING OF 

SPEARMINT OIL PRODUCED IN THE 

FAR WEST 

■ 1. The authority citation for 7 CFR 

part 985 continues to read as follows: 

Authority: 7 U.S.C. 601–674. 

■ 2. Amend § 985.234 by revising 

paragraph (b) to read as follows: 

§ 985.234 Salable quantities and allotment 

percentages—2024–2025 marketing year. 

* * * * * 

(b) Class 3 (Native) oil—a salable 

quantity of 731,220 pounds and an 

allotment percentage of 28 percent. 

Erin Morris, 

Associate Administrator, Agricultural 

Marketing Service. 

[FR Doc. 2024–28214 Filed 12–3–24; 8:45 am] 

BILLING CODE P 

DEPARTMENT OF AGRICULTURE 

Rural Housing Service 

7 CFR Part 1944 

[Docket No. RHS–24–SFH–0037] 

RIN 0575–AD37 

Self-Help Technical Assistance Grants: 

Technical Corrections and Program 

Updates 

AGENCY: Rural Housing Service, USDA. 

ACTION: Proposed rule. 

SUMMARY: The Rural Housing Service 

(RHS or the Agency), a Rural 

Development (RD) agency of the United 

States Department of Agriculture 

(USDA), proposes to update and 

streamline the Single-Family Housing 

(SFH) Self-Help Technical Assistance 

Grant Program. The Self-Help Program 

has evolved, and the current regulations 

as codified restrict the Agency’s ability 

to be flexible with market changes. The 

intent of this proposed rule is to reduce 

the regulatory burdens in the current 

regulation, to assist the Agency to better 

achieve the program objectives, 

streamline administrative regulatory 

requirements and make the program 

more effective in serving rural 

Americans by increasing decent, safe, 

and sanitary housing stock across the 

Nation. 

DATES: Comments on the proposed rule 

must be received on or before February 

3, 2025. 

The comment period for the 

information collection under the 

Paperwork Act of 1995 must be received 

on or before February 3, 2025. 

ADDRESSES: Comments may be 

submitted electronically by the Federal 

eRulemaking Portal: Go to http://

www.regulations.gov and, in the 

‘‘Search Field’’ box, labeled ‘‘Search for 

dockets and documents on agency 

actions,’’ enter the following docket 

number: (RHS–24–SFH–0037) or 

Regulation Identifier Number (RIN): 

(0575–AD37). To submit or view public 

comments, click the ‘‘Search’’ button, 

select the ‘‘Documents’’ tab, then select 

the following document title: ‘‘Self-Help 

Technical Assistance Grants: Technical 

Corrections and Program Updates’’ from 

the ‘‘Search Results,’’ and select the 

‘‘Comment’’ button. Before inputting 

your comments, you may also review 

the ‘‘Commenter’s Checklist’’ (optional). 

Insert your comments under the 

‘‘Comment’’ title, click ‘‘Browse’’ to 

attach files (if available). Input your 

email address and select ‘‘Submit 

Comment.’’ Information on using 

Regulations.gov, including instructions 

for accessing documents, submitting 

comments, and viewing the docket after 

the close of the comment period, is 

available through the site’s ‘‘FAQ’’ link. 

All comments will be available for 

public inspection online at the Federal 

eRulemaking Portal (http://

www.regulations.gov). 

Other Information: Additional 

information about Rural Development 

and its programs is available on the 

internet at http://www.rurdev.usda.gov/ 

index.html. 

In accordance with 5 U.S.C. 553(b)(4), 

a summary of this proposed rule may be 

found by going to http://

www.regulations.gov and in the ‘‘Search 

for dockets and documents on agency 

actions’’ box, enter the following docket 

number RHS–24–SFH–0037. 

FOR FURTHER INFORMATION CONTACT: 

Sunceri Dade, Finance & Loan Analyst, 

SFH Direct Division, Rural Housing 

Service, Rural Development, United 

States Department of Agriculture, 1400 

Independence Avenue SW, Washington, 

DC 20250, Phone: 202–720–1485, Email: 

Sunceri.Dade@usda.gov. 

SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION: 

Statutory Authority 

Section 510(k) of Title V the Housing 

Act of 1949 [42 U.S.C. 1480(k)], as 

amended, authorizes the Secretary of 

the Department of Agriculture to 

promulgate rules and regulations as 

deemed necessary to carry out the 

purpose of that title. The Self-Help 

program is authorized under Section 

523 of Title V the Housing Act of 1949 

(42 U.S.C. 1490(c)), as amended, 

authorizes the Secretary of the 

Department of Agriculture to 

promulgate rules and regulations as 

deemed necessary to carry out the 

purpose of that title. The program is 

implemented under 7 CFR part 1944, 

subpart I. 

I. Background 

The RHS offers a variety of programs 

to build or improve housing and 

essential community facilities in rural 

areas. RHS offers loans, grants, and loan 

guarantees for single- and multifamily 

housing, childcare centers, fire and 

police stations, hospitals, libraries, 

nursing homes, schools, first responder 

vehicles and equipment, housing for 

farm laborers. RHS also provides 

technical assistance loans and grants in 

partnership with non-profit 

organizations, Indian Tribes, state and 

federal government agencies, and local 

communities. 

Well built, affordable housing is 

essential to the vitality of communities 

in rural America. RD SFH Programs give 

families and individuals the 

opportunity to buy, build, or repair 

affordable homes located in rural 

America. Eligibility for these loans, loan 

guarantees, and grants is based on 

income and varies according to the 

average median income for each area. 

Section 510(k) of Title V the Housing 

Act of 1949 [42 U.S.C. 1480(k)], as 

amended, authorizes the Secretary of 

the Department of Agriculture to 

promulgate rules and regulations as 

deemed necessary to carry out the 

purpose of that title. The Self-Help 

program is authorized under Section 

523 of Title V the Housing Act of 1949 

(42 U.S.C. 1490(c)), as amended, 

authorizes the Secretary of the 

Department of Agriculture to 

promulgate rules and regulations as 

deemed necessary to carry out the 

purpose of that title. The RHS 

administers the Section 523 Self-Help 

Housing Technical Assistance Grant 

Program which is implemented under 7 

CFR 1944, Subpart I and authorized by 

the Housing Act of 1949, as amended 

(42 U.S.C. 1490c). The purpose of the 

program is to provide grants to qualified 

organizations to help them carry out 

local self-help housing construction 

projects. Grant recipients supervise 

groups of very low- and low-income 

individuals and families as they 

construct or rehabilitate their homes in 

rural areas. The group members provide 

most of the construction labor on each 

other’s homes, and rehabilitation project 

participants contribute construction 

hours based on the amount of work 


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