The U.S. Department of Agriculture (USDA) today announced plans to purchase Livestock and Poultry Products for distribution to various food nutrition assistance programs.  Purchases will be made under the authority of Section 32 of the Act of August 24, 1935, with the purpose to encourage the continued domestic consumption of these products by diverting them from the normal channels of trade and commerce.

The U.S. Department of Agriculture (USDA) seeks nominees for the National Watermelon Promotion Board. Nominees are needed to fill eight member seats with terms beginning Jan. 1, 2026, and ending Dec. 31, 2028.

There are two producer and two handler seats available for both Districts 4 and 5. The deadline for nominations is Feb. 26, 2025.

The U.S. Department of Agriculture (USDA) seeks nominees for the National Mango Board. Nominees are needed to fill six member seats with terms beginning, Jan. 1, 2026, and ending Dec. 31, 2028.

The deadline for nominations is Feb. 28, 2025, for the following seats:

• District III- two importers 
• District IV- one importer 
• Three foreign producers

District III includes Nogales, Arizona; Great Falls, Montana; Pembina, North Dakota; and El Paso, Texas.

Chartered in 2024, the inaugural Greenhouse Gas Technical Assistance Provider and Third- Party Verifier Program Advisory Council (informally referred to as the Growing Climate Solutions Act Advisory Council) was established on January 2, 2025.

Below is a roster of the current Council members. Terms for this initial Council are staggered, as outlined in the Growing Climate Solutions Act. At least 51 percent of the Council members are active farmers, ranchers, and private forest landowners.

Members appointed to the Council are:

The U.S. Department of Agriculture (USDA) today announced plans to purchase cheese and fluid milk for distribution to various food nutrition assistance programs. Purchases will be made under the authority of Section authority of Section 5 of the Commodity Credit Corporation (CCC) Charter Act. 

Potential materials may include: 

The U.S. Department of Agriculture (USDA) is seeking nominees for the Walla Walla Sweet Onion Marketing Committee to fill two producer member seats, three alternate producer member seats, one handler member seat, and one alternate handler member seat whose terms will begin June 1, 2025.  The appointed members will serve two-year terms, except for one alternate producer member, who will serve a one-year term.

Nominations can be made Jan. 28, 2025, during the Nominations Committee meeting, which starts noon PT at the El Sombrero Restaurant, 4 W. Oak St., Walla Walla, Wash.

The U.S. Department of Agriculture (USDA) Agricultural Marketing Service (AMS) issued two final rules that affect fees for official inspection and weighing services performed under the U.S. Grain Standards Act (USGSA).

The final rules allow USDA’s Federal Grain Inspection Service (FGIS) to revise its user fee formulas under the USGSA to establish a set of formulas to calculate hourly and unit fees and finalize the fees introduced in July 2024. The revised formulas and fees will allow FGIS to fully recover service costs and maintain an operating reserve of three to six months.

Docket Number: AMS-FGIS-24-0027
Effective Date: February 5, 2025

Summary