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

REGULATORY: AMS, FCA, FWS

AGRICULTURAL MARKETING SERVICE

Final rule amending the Cotton Board Rules and Regulations, decreasing the value assigned to imported cotton for the purposes of calculating supplemental assessments collected for use by the Cotton Research and Promotion Program. This amendment is required each year to ensure that assessments collected on imported cotton and the cotton content of imported products will be the same as those paid on domestically produced cotton. AMS is also updating the Harmonized Tariff Schedule statistical reporting numbers that were amended since the last assessment adjustment in 2020. Info here.

Notice announcing that AMS is taking this action under the authority of the Agricultural Marketing Act of 1946, as amended, (AMA). AMS is adding the new criterion, Cotyledon Damage, in the Bean Inspection Handbook pertaining to the class chickpea/garbanzo beans in the U.S. Standards for Beans. Info here.

FARM CREDIT ADMINISTRATION

Proposed rule seeking comments on this proposed rule that would revise FCA’s regulatory capital requirements for Farm Credit System institutions to define and establish risk-weightings for High Volatility Commercial Real Estate exposures. Info here.

FISH AND WILDLIFE SERVICE

Proposed rule proposing to list six Central Texas mussel species: The Guadalupe fatmucket (Lampsilis bergmanni), Texas fatmucket (Lampsilis bracteata), Texas fawnsfoot (Truncilla macrodon), Guadalupe orb (Cyclonaias necki), Texas pimpleback (Cyclonaias (=Quadrula) petrina), and false spike (Fusconaia (=Quincuncina) mitchelli) as endangered or threatened under the Endangered Species Act of 1973, as amended (Act). Info here.