USDA’s Foreign Agricultural Service (FAS) has withdrawn a proposed rule published March 8 in the Federal Register to add pork (fresh, chilled and frozen box/primal cuts) and distillers dried grains (DDG) to the Export Sales Reporting Requirements. The agency said on its website that the proposal was withdrawn for “procedural reasons.”
However, in the Federal Register notice on the withdrawal (link), FAS signaled the matter is linked to the Office of Management and Budget (OMB). “Subsequent to publication, FAS ascertained that OMB clearance was not yet received, so the proposed rule needs to be withdrawn until such clearance is conveyed,” FAS said.
In a notice on their website, FAS further said, “FAS is currently awaiting approval from the Office of Management and Budget to publish a new proposed rule.
While the proposed rule has been withdrawn, FAS said, “comments submitted during the original 60-day comment period may still be considered as part of the official record. When the proposed rule is republished, a new 60-day period for comments will begin.”
PERSPECTIVE: It’s not clear why this has happened as it would seem the agency should have been aware of the need for the matter to be cleared by OMB. This will delay the addition of these two key commodities to the weekly data.
