[Federal Register Volume 82, Number 89 (Wednesday, May 10, 2017)]
[Rules and Regulations]
[Page 21677]
From the Federal Register Online via the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]
[FR Doc No: 2017-09409]



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 Rules and Regulations
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  Federal Register / Vol. 82, No. 89 / Wednesday, May 10, 2017 / Rules 
and Regulations  

[[Page 21677]]



DEPARTMENT OF AGRICULTURE

Agricultural Marketing Service

7 CFR Part 205

[Doc. No. AMS-NOP-15-0012; NOP-15-06]
RIN 0581-AD44


National Organic Program (NOP); Organic Livestock and Poultry 
Practices

AGENCY: Agricultural Marketing Service, USDA.

ACTION: Final rule; delay of effective date.

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SUMMARY: The United States Department of Agriculture's Agricultural 
Marketing Service (AMS) is delaying the effective date of the rule 
published on January 19, 2017, for an additional six months to November 
14, 2017, to allow time for further consideration by USDA. The 
effective date for this rule was initially March 20, 2017, and was 
subsequently delayed to May 19, 2017, by a document published in the 
Federal Register on February 9, 2017. The final rule amends the organic 
livestock and poultry production requirements by adding new provisions 
for livestock handling and transport for slaughter and avian living 
conditions; and expands and clarifies existing requirements covering 
livestock care and production practices and mammalian living 
conditions.

DATES: The effective date of the final rule published on January 19, 
2017 (82 FR 7042), delayed until May 19, 2017, on February 9, 2017 (82 
FR 9967), is further delayed until November 14, 2017.

FOR FURTHER INFORMATION CONTACT: Paul Lewis, Ph.D., Director, Standards 
Division. Telephone: (202) 720-3252; Fax: (202) 260-9151.

SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION: Consistent with the memorandum of January 
20, 2017, to the heads of executive departments and agencies from the 
Assistant to the President and Chief of Staff, entitled, ``Regulatory 
Freeze Pending Review,'' on February 9, 2017, AMS delayed the effective 
date of the final rule, Organic Livestock and Poultry Practices, that 
was published in the Federal Register on January 19, 2017 (82 FR 7042) 
to May 19, 2017.
    Because there are significant policy and legal issues addressed 
within the final rule that warrant further review by USDA, AMS is 
further delaying the effective date of this rule by 180 days to 
November 14, 2017. In addition, AMS will publish a proposed rule that 
solicits public comments on the direction that USDA should take with 
respect to the rule. The public will have a 30-day comment period to 
specify whether USDA should: (1) Let the rule become effective, (2) 
suspend the rule indefinitely, (3) delay the effective date of the rule 
further, or (4) withdraw the rule.
    The rule amends the organic livestock and poultry production 
requirements of the USDA organic regulations by adding new provisions 
for livestock handling and transport for slaughter and avian living 
conditions; and expands and clarifies existing requirements covering 
livestock care and production practices and mammalian living 
conditions. The rule finalizes a proposed rule that AMS published in 
the Federal Register on April 13, 2016, 81 FR 21955.
    To the extent that 5 U.S.C. 553(b)(A) applies to this action, it is 
exempt from notice and comment for good cause and the reasons cited 
above. AMS finds that notice and solicitation of comment regarding the 
brief extension of the effective date for the final regulation are 
impracticable, unnecessary, or contrary to the public interest pursuant 
to 5 U.S.C. 553(b)(B). The delay of the effective date until November 
14, 2017, should give AMS sufficient time to receive and consider 
public comments and take action on the disposition of the rule. AMS 
also believes that affected entities need to be informed as soon as 
possible of the extension and its length in order to plan and adjust 
their implementation process accordingly.

    Dated: May 4, 2017.
Bruce Summers,
Acting Administrator, Agricultural Marketing Service.
[FR Doc. 2017-09409 Filed 5-9-17; 8:45 am]
 BILLING CODE 3410-02-P