The U.S. Department of Agriculture’s (USDA) Agricultural Marketing Service (AMS) awarded a total of $72.9 million in Fiscal Year (FY) 2023 Specialty Crop Block Grant Program (SCBGP) funding. The FY 2023 non-competitive awards were made to the departments of agriculture in the 50 states, the District of Columbia, the Commonwealth of Puerto Rico, American Samoa, the U.S. Virgin Islands, and the Commonwealth of the Northern Mariana Islands. The SCBGP funding supports farmers growing specialty crops, including fruits, vegetables, tree nuts, and nursery crops.

The U.S. Department of Agriculture (USDA) today announced that producers of walnuts grown in California voted for six amendments to the federal marketing order regulating the handling of walnuts grown in California.

Docket Number: AMS-SC-22-0010
Effective Date: September 20, 2023

Summary

NOTE: These exhibits are provided as a courtesy.  They are not official exhibits and are not part of the OFFICIAL RECORD. Exhibits are posted as submitted. 

• Unofficial Exhibit Index (xlsx)

Exhibits, as submitted, by Proponent:

*Exhibits will be listed by proponent as they are received.  Additional exhibits will be posted as received. 

The U.S. Department of Agriculture (USDA) is warning vendors who wish to participate in USDA food purchase programs of a possible phishing scheme using fraudulent email messages. The fake emails look like they are solicitations for bids sent by USDA’s Agricultural Marketing Service (AMS), which manages USDA’s food purchase programs.

The U.S. Department of Agriculture today announced that producers voting in a referendum on the federal marketing order for cranberries did not show enough support to continue the program.

The marketing order requires that USDA conduct the referendum on the marketing order every four years. The marketing order was favored by 26.5% of cranberry growers voting in the referendum and by 20.1% of the production volume voted in the referendum.

Docket Number: AMS-CN-23-0004
Dates: This direct final rule is effective October 16, 2023, without further action or notice, unless significant adverse comment is received by September 14, 2023. If significant adverse comment is received, AMS will publish a timely withdrawal of the amendment in the Federal Register.

Summary