Notice2023-24715
Request for Information Specialty Crops Competitiveness Initiative
Primary source
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Published
November 9, 2023
Issuing agencies
Agriculture DepartmentAgricultural Marketing Service
Abstract
The U.S. Department of Agriculture (USDA) is seeking input from stakeholders across the specialty crops industry on how USDA may better administratively support the industry in remaining competitive in domestic and international marketplaces, as part of USDA's Specialty Crops Competitiveness Initiative. This input will strengthen USDA's partnership with the specialty crops industry, an agricultural sector that has faced significant challenges due to recent natural disasters, pandemic-related market disruptions, and other factors. USDA requests input on how to further support the industry's domestic marketing and consumption, to further support the industry's competitiveness internationally, to further support research that will serve the industry, to increase producers' awareness of and access to relevant USDA programs, to enhance USDA programs that serve the specialty crops industry, to aid the evaluation of existing programs, and to understand current and future challenges faced by the industry. USDA is asking for comments on interactions with USDA programs. All comments will be aggregated, summarized, and shared with USDA Leadership.
Full Text
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<title>Federal Register, Volume 88 Issue 216 (Thursday, November 9, 2023)</title>
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[Federal Register Volume 88, Number 216 (Thursday, November 9, 2023)]
[Notices]
[Pages 77257-77258]
From the Federal Register Online via the Government Publishing Office [<a href="http://www.gpo.gov">www.gpo.gov</a>]
[FR Doc No: 2023-24715]
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Federal Register / Vol. 88, No. 216 / Thursday, November 9, 2023 /
Notices
[[Page 77257]]
DEPARTMENT OF AGRICULTURE
Agricultural Marketing Service
[Doc. No. AMS-SC-23-0073]
Request for Information Specialty Crops Competitiveness
Initiative
AGENCY: Agricultural Marketing Service, U.S. Department of Agriculture,
(USDA).
ACTION: Request for information.
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SUMMARY: The U.S. Department of Agriculture (USDA) is seeking input
from stakeholders across the specialty crops industry on how USDA may
better administratively support the industry in remaining competitive
in domestic and international marketplaces, as part of USDA's Specialty
Crops Competitiveness Initiative. This input will strengthen USDA's
partnership with the specialty crops industry, an agricultural sector
that has faced significant challenges due to recent natural disasters,
pandemic-related market disruptions, and other factors. USDA requests
input on how to further support the industry's domestic marketing and
consumption, to further support the industry's competitiveness
internationally, to further support research that will serve the
industry, to increase producers' awareness of and access to relevant
USDA programs, to enhance USDA programs that serve the specialty crops
industry, to aid the evaluation of existing programs, and to understand
current and future challenges faced by the industry. USDA is asking for
comments on interactions with USDA programs. All comments will be
aggregated, summarized, and shared with USDA Leadership.
DATES: Comments must be received by March 8, 2024 to be assured of
consideration.
ADDRESSES: Interested persons are invited to submit comments concerning
this notice by either of the following methods:
<bullet> Federal Rulemaking Portal: Go to <a href="https://www.regulations.gov">https://www.regulations.gov</a> and search for Docket ID AMS-SC-23-0073. Follow the
instructions for submitting comments. Comments should reference the
document number and the date and page number of this issue of the
Federal Register.
<bullet> Email: Please submit any email responses to
<a href="/cdn-cgi/l/email-protection#a4f7e7e7edf4c5d6d0cac1d6d7e4d1d7c0c58ac3cbd2"><span class="__cf_email__" data-cfemail="683b2b2b2138091a1c060d1a1b281d1b0c09460f071e">[email protected]</span></a> in the body of an email or as a Word or PDF
attachment. Include ``SCCI RFI'' in the subject line of the email.
All comments submitted in response to this notice will be included
in the record, will be made available to the public, and can be viewed
at: <a href="https://www.regulations.gov">https://www.regulations.gov</a>. Please be advised that the identity of
the individuals or entities submitting the comments will be made
available to the public on the internet at the address provided above.
FOR FURTHER INFORMATION CONTACT: Heather M. Pichelman, Agricultural
Marketing Service, Specialty Crops Program, Email:
<a href="/cdn-cgi/l/email-protection#c6aea3a7b2aea3b4e8b6afa5aea3aaaba7a886b3b5a2a7e8a1a9b0"><span class="__cf_email__" data-cfemail="c0a8a5a1b4a8a5b2eeb0a9a3a8a5acada1ae80b5b3a4a1eea7afb6">[email protected]</span></a> or Telephone: (202) 720-4722.
SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION: USDA has heard growing concern from the
specialty crops industry regarding their ability to remain competitive.
Although the specialty crops industry includes a wide array of
commodities, the challenges facing their markets are similar. USDA is
actively partnering with specialty crops growers to increase the
competitiveness of U.S. products in domestic and international markets,
minimize costs, manage pests and diseases, strengthen supply chains,
and support climate outcomes.
In direct response to the industry's request for support, USDA
launched the Specialty Crops Competitiveness Initiative (SCCI). The
goal of SCCI is to provide increased support to the specialty crops
industry by identifying industry needs and taking appropriate available
administrative action.
This Request for Information (RFI) is part of the SCCI initiative,
to provide stakeholders the opportunity to submit feedback on the
industry's needs and to provide information on how USDA can better
administratively support the U.S. specialty crops industry to remain
competitive.
The SCCI is just one of multiple efforts across the Federal
government to support the industry. On October 17, 2023, the United
States Trade Representative (USTR) published in the Federal Register,
the ``Notice of Establishment and Request for Nominations for the
Seasonal and Perishable Agricultural Products Advisory Committee'' (88
FR 71638). This Committee, established by USTR and USDA, intends to
provide advice and recommendations in connection with U.S. trade policy
that concern administrative actions and legislation that would promote
the competitiveness of Southeastern U.S. producers of seasonal and
perishable agricultural products. Whereas this Committee will be
focused on a specific geographic U.S. region and on seasonal and
perishable fruits and vegetables, the SCCI will have a nationwide focus
on the needs of all specialty crops stakeholders to remain competitive
in both domestic and international markets under USDA's purview.
Interested persons can refer to the new USDA web page at <a href="https://www.usda.gov/specialty.crops">https://www.usda.gov/specialty.crops</a>, which contains a comprehensive snapshot
of USDA's resources and services relevant to specialty crops producers
and businesses. The focus of this request is to collect feedback on
existing USDA programs and how they might be improved, not on new
programs that require legislative action to implement.
Upon collection of feedback from the industry through this RFI and
stakeholder meetings and events, a gap analysis will be conducted to
address where USDA services can be enhanced to better support the
specialty crops industry. Outcomes of the feedback will be communicated
back to the specialty crops industry to continue to build awareness of
USDA's support for the industry.
USDA is seeking feedback on all its services for the industry.
Respondents may provide information for one or more of the questions or
topics listed below, as desired. Additionally, respondents may provide
commodity-specific or geographic-specific input on Department services
for specialty crops.
How can USDA administratively support specialty crop producers to
enhance domestic marketing and increase consumption of domestically
grown specialty crops?
How can USDA administratively support specialty crop producers to
improve their export performance to
[[Page 77258]]
increase competitiveness of U.S. specialty crops in foreign markets?
What research is needed to minimize costs and maximize returns to
support the production and processing of specialty crops? What kind of
research (spanning production, transportation, handling, or beyond)
could USDA enhance or adapt to support the specialty crop industry?
How could existing USDA specialty crops farm programs be adapted to
address current and future challenges faced by the specialty crops
industry?
How could USDA increase awareness of available tools and resources
to support broader participation and engagement by the specialty crops
industry?
How could USDA enhance or adapt currently offered programs (loans,
grants, nutrition programs, conservation programs, insurance programs,
food safety programs, pest management programs, etc.) to support the
specialty crops industry to increase its competitiveness?
How could USDA enhance or adapt procurement to support the
specialty crops industry?
Please share any ongoing or anticipated challenges in the specialty
crops industry that impact your ability to maintain competitiveness.
Please share any non-financial resources that would be useful to
improve the specialty crop industry's competitiveness.
Erin Morris,
Associate Administrator, Agricultural Marketing Service.
[FR Doc. 2023-24715 Filed 11-8-23; 8:45 am]
BILLING CODE P
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