Regulatory Development and Review

PURPOSE

This United States Department of Agriculture (USDA) Departmental Regulation (DR) is intended as a guide for the development and review of all regulatory actions, including significant guidance documents and relevant supporting documents.  It covers the full rulemaking cycle, starting when the need for a rule is first identified, to drafting, review, initial publication in the Federal Register, receipt of public comment, and final publication for inclusion in the Code of Federal Regulations (CFR).  It includes rulemaking requirements identified by statutes, Executive Orders (EO), Office of Management and Budget (OMB) circulars and memoranda, and USDA requirements.  Moreover, this DR is intended to ensure that USDA regulatory actions:

a.            Promote public health, welfare, safety, and economic growth and do not impose undue costs or burdens on the public;

b.            Promote human dignity and equity and respect the civil rights of individuals;

c.            Respect the role of tribes and State and local governments;

d.            Are effective, consistent, and understandable.

Accordingly, the DR assigns regulatory development and review responsibilities to USDA officials and Mission Areas, agencies, and staff offices to accomplish these goals.

This DR is intended only to improve the internal management of USDA.  It is not intended to and does not create any right or benefit, substantive or procedural, enforceable at law or at equity by a party against USDA, its Mission Areas, agencies, staff offices, officers, employees, or any other person.