A comprehensive summary of today’s judicial, legislative, and regulatory developments in agriculture and food. Email important additions HERE.

REGULATORY: Includes USDA and NOAA

DEPARTMENT OF AGRICULTURE

Correcting amendments The Secretary of Agriculture implemented the Coronavirus Food Assistance Program (CFAP), which provides assistance to agricultural producers impacted by the effects of the COVID-19 outbreak, through a final rule published in the Federal Register on May 21, 2020. This correction clarifies the eligibility of barley and livestock. Info here.

NATIONAL OCEANIC AND ATMOSPHERIC ADMINISTRATION

Final rule NMFS is correcting a final rule that appeared in the Federal Register on December 20, 2019, that requires all skimmer trawl vessels 40 feet and greater in length to use turtle excluder devices (TEDs) designed to exclude small sea turtles in their nets. There is an error in the description of the small turtle TED flap. Info here.

Temporary rule NMFS is prohibiting directed fishing for northern rockfish in the Western Regulatory Area of the Gulf of Alaska (GOA). Info here.

Temporary rule NMFS is prohibiting directed fishing for Pacific ocean perch in the Western Regulatory Area of the Gulf of Alaska (GOA). Info here.

Temporary rule NMFS is exchanging unused flathead sole and rock sole Community Development Quota (CDQ) for yellowfin sole CDQ acceptable biological catch (ABC) reserves in the Bering Sea and Aleutian Islands management area. Info here.

Temporary rule NMFS extends this temporary rule to provide it with authority to continue to waive observer coverage requirements. NMFS is taking this action to address public health concerns relating to the ongoing Coronavirus pandemic. Info here.

Proposed rule proposed List of Fisheries (LOF) for 2021, as required by the Marine Mammal Protection Act (MMPA). The LOF for 2021 reflects new information on interactions between commercial fisheries and marine mammals. Info here.