View the ABC-30 Accepted User Plan Form (pdf)

The U.S. Department of Agriculture (USDA) is warning vendors who wish to participate in USDA food purchase programs of a possible phishing scheme that uses emails portraying Agricultural Marketing Service (AMS) solicitations for bids.

The U.S. Department of Agriculture (USDA) Agricultural Marketing Service (AMS) is updating the USDA Harmonized Good Agricultural Practices (GAP) and GAP Plus+ audit checklists. These updates become effective May 1, 2021 and will allow AMS’s GAP audit services to remain applicable and relevant for its specialty crops industry customers.

The U.S. Department of Agriculture (USDA) Agricultural Marketing Service (AMS) is seeking nominations for the American Pecan Promotion Board under the newly established Pecan Promotion, Research, and Information Order. Nominations are due by March 26, 2021.

The U.S. Department of Agriculture (USDA) today announced amendments to the federal marketing order regulating the handling of walnuts grown in California. These amendments authorize the California Walnut Board to provide credit for market promotion expenses paid by handlers against their annual assessments due under the program.

The U.S. Department of Agriculture (USDA) today announced the approval of a hemp production plan under the U.S. Domestic Hemp Production Program for the Nez Perce Tribe.

This plan was approved under the Interim Final Rule. The Final Rule, published January 19, 2021, is currently under review. The new administration is taking the opportunity to review new and pending regulatory actions to ensure programs are structured and resourced appropriately and to ensure programs are implemented to best serve their intended stakeholders.

The U.S. Department of Agriculture (USDA) will conduct a referendum April 12-30, 2021, for Irish potato producers in Idaho and Malheur County, Oregon, to vote on whether to continue their federal marketing order authorizing the establishment of size, grade, quality, maturity, container and pack regulations, under USDA oversight.

Docket Number: AMS–SC–20–0084
Dates: The referendum will be conducted from April 12 to April 30, 2021. To vote in this referendum, producers must have produced Irish potatoes for the fresh market within the designated production area in Idaho, and Malheur County, Oregon, during the period August 1, 2019, through July 31, 2020.

Summary

The U.S. Department of Agriculture (USDA) and Borden Dairy Company (Borden) have reached an agreement in the Borden bankruptcy proceeding that should lead to recovery of 100 percent of monies owed to USDA. Per the agreement, USDA will use these funds to remit monies owed to Federal Milk Marketing Order-regulated handlers and the Fluid Milk Promotion Board, and handlers will be required to promptly remit payment to the affected producers.