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

REGULATORY: Includes AMS, FWS, and NOAA

AGRICULTURAL MARKETING SERVICE

Proposed rule invites comments on a recommendation from the State of Washington Potato Committee (Committee) to suspend the reporting and assessment requirements prescribed under the marketing order regulating Irish Potatoes grown in Washington (Order). Info here.

FISH AND WILDLIFE SERVICE

Proposed rule announces a 12-month finding on a petition to list the Puerto Rican harlequin butterfly (Atlantea tulita), a species from Puerto Rico, as a threatened species and designate critical habitat under the Endangered Species Act of 1973, as amended (Act). Info here.

Proposed rule withdraws the proposed rule to list the distinct population segment (DPS) of the North American wolverine (Gulo gulo luscus) occurring in the contiguous United States as a threatened species under the Endangered Species Act of 1973, as amended (Act). Info here.

NATIONAL OCEANIC AND ATMOSPHERIC ADMINISTRATION

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

Temporary rule NMFS transfers 40 metric tons (mt) of Atlantic bluefin tuna (BFT) quota from the Reserve category to the October through November 2020 General category subquota period and closes the General category fishery until the General category reopens on December 1, 2020. Info here.