Federal Register Digest: Raisin Marketing Order Restructured, IRS Hearing Cancelled, Agency Meetings Set

USDA Restructures California Raisin Marketing Order

The Agriculture Department's Agricultural Marketing Service has issued a final rule amending Marketing Order No. 989, which regulates the handling of raisins produced from grapes grown in California. The rule takes effect November 9, 2026, and implements amendments proposed by the Raisin Administrative Committee after USDA conducted a public hearing and California raisin producers voted in favor of the changes in a referendum.

The amendments make sweeping structural changes to the Committee itself. The rule reduces Committee membership from 47 to 21 members, removes the producer district representation system, and adds an unaffiliated producer member seat in its place. The designated cooperative bargaining association member seat is eliminated. Quorum requirements are correspondingly lowered from 25 to 14. The rule also removes the requirement for separate member and alternate member position nominations for independent and small cooperative producers.

On the regulatory and operational side, the rule removes factor 4 and part of factor 5 used for establishing marketing policy, and adds language clarifying the quality standards applicable to reconditioned raisins. The rule further adds authority for the Committee to accept voluntary contributions and includes new language regarding the ownership of intellectual property. USDA states the action also makes conforming changes to the marketing order to align with the adopted amendments. The rule affects 7 CFR 989.

IRS Cancels Public Hearing on PRWORA Tax Credit Proposal

The Treasury Department's Internal Revenue Service has cancelled the public hearing that had been scheduled for October 14, 2026, at 10 a.m. ET on proposed regulations designated REG-119882-25. Those proposed regulations, published in the Federal Register on August 20, 2026, would provide that the refunded portion of certain refundable Federal income tax credits available to individuals constitutes a "Federal public benefit" under the Personal Responsibility and Work Opportunity Reconciliation Act of 1996 (PRWORA). The affected regulations fall under 26 CFR 1. The cancellation notice does not address the status of the underlying proposed rulemaking.

Agency Open Meetings

The Consumer Product Safety Commission has scheduled a Sunshine Act meeting for Wednesday, October 14, 2026, at 10:00 a.m.

The Legal Services Corporation (LSC) Board of Directors has posted notices for three committee meetings. The Operations and Regulations Committee will meet on October 16, 2026, beginning at 11:00 a.m. Eastern Time. On October 21, 2026, the Delivery of Legal Services Committee will convene at 12:30 p.m. Eastern Time, with the Institutional Advancement Committee meeting to follow immediately upon the conclusion of that session. Each meeting is scheduled to continue until the conclusion of the respective committee's agenda.

What to Watch

• November 9, 2026 — USDA's amended Marketing Order No. 989 for California raisins takes effect.
• October 16, 2026 — LSC Operations and Regulations Committee meeting, 11:00 a.m. ET.
• October 21, 2026 — LSC Delivery of Legal Services and Institutional Advancement Committee meetings, beginning 12:30 p.m. ET.
• The IRS proposed rulemaking under REG-119882-25 (PRWORA tax credit classification, 26 CFR 1) remains pending following cancellation of the October 14 hearing.

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