Migratory Bird Hunting; Normal Agricultural Operations
migratory-bird · US Fish and Wildlife Service · Published 2019-08-08 · Effective 2019-08-08 · 84 FR 38883
Document
Document number
2019-16629
Federal Register citation
84 FR 38883
CFR reference
50 CFR 20
Type
Rule
Action
Final rule.
Category
migratory-bird
Sub-agency
US Fish and Wildlife Service
Publication date
2019-08-08
Effective date
2019-08-08
Interior docket
Docket No. FWS-HQ-MB-2019-0008
Abstract
The Agriculture Improvement Act of 2018 includes a provision that directs the Secretary of the Interior to revise the Federal migratory bird hunting regulations in part 20 of title 50 of the Code of Federal Regulations. The provision directs the Secretary to clarify that rice ratooning and post-disaster flooding, when carried out as part of a normal agricultural operation, do not constitute baiting. Current Federal regulations in 50 CFR part 20 prohibit the use of baiting to attract birds when hunting. This rule implements the Congressional directives in the Agriculture Improvement Act of 2018 by making the necessary revisions to the migratory bird hunting regulations regarding rice ratooning and post-disaster flooding.