Increase in Fiscal Year 2017 Specialty Sugar Tariff-Rate Quota, 11893 [2017-03826]
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Federal Register / Vol. 82, No. 37 / Monday, February 27, 2017 / Notices
budgets; and making funds available for
such programs when approved. The
objective of the Cotton Research and
Promotion Program is to strengthen
cotton’s competitive position and to
maintain and expand domestic and
foreign markets and uses for cotton. The
Cotton Board is prohibited from
participating in any matters influencing
governmental policies or action except
making recommendations for
amendments to the Order.
Amendments to the Act were enacted
under subtitle G of title XIX of the Food,
Agriculture, Conservation, and Trade
Act of 1990 (Pub. L. 101–624, 104 Stat.
3909, November 28, 1990). These
amendments provided for: (1) Importer
representation on the Cotton Board; (2)
the assessment of imported cotton and
cotton products; (3) increasing the
amount the Secretary of Agriculture can
be reimbursed for conduct of a
referendum from $200,000 to $300,000;
(4) reimbursing government agencies
who assist in administering the
collection of assessments on imported
cotton and cotton products; and (5)
terminating the right of a producer to
demand a refund of assessments. The
Act Amendments of 1990 were
approved by a majority (60 percent) of
importers and producers of cotton
voting in a referendum conducted July
17–26, 1991, as required by the Act.
Results of this referendum were
announced in a nationally distributed
press release dated August 2, 1991.
The Cotton Research and Promotion
Act Amendment of 1990, Section 8(c)(1)
provides that once every 5 years after
the July 1991 referendum, the Secretary
of Agriculture is to conduct a review to
ascertain whether a referendum is
needed. In such a referendum,
producers and importers would
determine whether they favor
continuation of the amendments to the
Order provided for in the Cotton
Research and Promotion Act
Amendments of 1990. These
amendments to the Order were
promulgated in final rules published in
the Federal Register on December 10,
1991 (56 FR 64470), corrected at 56 FR
66670.
The results of the most recent review
report of the Cotton Research and
Promotion Program were issued on May
29, 2013. USDA announced its view (78
FR 32228) not to conduct a referendum
regarding the 1991 amendments to the
Order. In accordance with Section
8(c)(2) of the Act, USDA provided an
opportunity for all eligible persons to
request a continuance referendum on
the 1991 amendments by making such
a request during a sign-up period.
During the period of August 3–August
VerDate Sep<11>2014
20:23 Feb 24, 2017
Jkt 241001
14, 2015, the Department conducted a
sign-up period for all eligible persons to
request a continuance referendum on
the 1990 Act amendments. The
announced results of the sign-up period
(80 FR 76654) did not meet the criteria
established for a continuance
referendum by the Cotton Research and
Promotion Act and therefore, a
referendum was not conducted.
In 2017, in accordance with the
provisions of the Act, the Secretary of
Agriculture will conduct its review of
the Cotton Research and Promotion
Program Act amendments to ascertain
whether a referendum is needed to
determine whether producers and
importers support continuation of the
amendments to the Order, as provided
for by the 1990 Act amendments. The
Secretary of Agriculture will make a
public announcement of the results of
the review. Pursuant to the Act, if the
Secretary of Agriculture determines that
a referendum is needed, the Secretary of
Agriculture will conduct the
referendum within 12 months after a
public announcement of the
determination to conduct the
referendum.
If the Secretary determines that a
referendum is not warranted, a sign-up
period to request such a referendum
will be made available to cotton
producers and importers. A referendum
will be held if requested by 10 percent
or more of those voting in the most
recent referendum as long as not more
than 20 percent are from any one State
or importers of cotton. This sign-up
period would be announced in the
Federal Register. A 60-day comment
period is provided for interested
persons to provide comments to be used
by USDA in its review. All interested
persons are invited to submit written
comments.
Authority: 7 U.S.C. 2101–2118.
Dated: February 21, 2017.
Bruce Summers,
Acting Administrator, Agricultural Marketing
Service.
[FR Doc. 2017–03709 Filed 2–24–17; 8:45 am]
11893
increase in the fiscal year (FY) 2017
specialty sugar tariff-rate quota (TRQ) of
40,000 metric tons raw value (MTRV).
DATES: Effective Date: February 27,
2017.
FOR FURTHER INFORMATION CONTACT:
Souleymane Diaby, Import Policies and
Export Reporting Division, Foreign
Agricultural Service, U.S. Department of
Agriculture, 1400 Independence Avenue
SW., AgStop 1021, Washington, DC
20250–1021; by telephone (202) 720–
2916; by fax (202) 720–0876; or by email
to Souleymane.Diaby@fas.usda.gov.
SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION: On May 6,
2016, USDA announced the
establishment of the in-quota quantity of
the FY 2017 refined sugar TRQ at
162,000 MTRV for which the sucrose
content, by weight in the dry state, must
have a polarimeter reading of 99.5
degrees or more (81 FR 27390, May 6,
2016). This amount included the
minimum level to which the United
States is committed under the WTO
Uruguay Round Agreements (22,000
MTRV of which 1,656 MTRV is reserved
for specialty sugar) and an additional
140,000 MTRV reserved for specialty
sugars.
Pursuant to Additional U.S. Note 5 to
Chapter 17 of the U.S. Harmonized
Tariff Schedule (HTS) and Section 359k
of the Agricultural Adjustment Act of
1938, as amended, the Secretary today
increased the overall FY 2017 refined
sugar TRQ by 40,000 MTRV to 202,000
MTRV. The increased amount is
reserved for specialty sugar. Entry of
this sugar will be permitted beginning
March 1, 2017. The sugar entered under
this tariff-rate quota is reserved for
organic sugar and other specialty sugars
not currently produced commercially in
the United States or reasonably
available from domestic sources.
Dated: February 7, 2017.
Jason Hafemeister,
Acting Deputy Under Secretary, Farm and
Foreign Agricultural Services.
[FR Doc. 2017–03826 Filed 2–24–17; 8:45 am]
BILLING CODE 3410–P
BILLING CODE 3410–02–P
DEPARTMENT OF AGRICULTURE
DEPARTMENT OF AGRICULTURE
Office of the Secretary
Increase in Fiscal Year 2017 Specialty
Sugar Tariff-Rate Quota
Office of the Secretary, USDA.
Notice.
AGENCY:
ACTION:
The Office of the Secretary of
the Department of Agriculture (the
Secretary) is providing notice of an
SUMMARY:
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Submission for OMB Review;
Comment Request
February 22, 2017.
The Department of Agriculture has
submitted the following information
collection requirement(s) to OMB for
review and clearance under the
Paperwork Reduction Act of 1995,
Public Law 104–13. Comments are
requested regarding (1) whether the
collection of information is necessary
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[Federal Register Volume 82, Number 37 (Monday, February 27, 2017)]
[Notices]
[Page 11893]
From the Federal Register Online via the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]
[FR Doc No: 2017-03826]
-----------------------------------------------------------------------
DEPARTMENT OF AGRICULTURE
Office of the Secretary
Increase in Fiscal Year 2017 Specialty Sugar Tariff-Rate Quota
AGENCY: Office of the Secretary, USDA.
ACTION: Notice.
-----------------------------------------------------------------------
SUMMARY: The Office of the Secretary of the Department of Agriculture
(the Secretary) is providing notice of an increase in the fiscal year
(FY) 2017 specialty sugar tariff-rate quota (TRQ) of 40,000 metric tons
raw value (MTRV).
DATES: Effective Date: February 27, 2017.
FOR FURTHER INFORMATION CONTACT: Souleymane Diaby, Import Policies and
Export Reporting Division, Foreign Agricultural Service, U.S.
Department of Agriculture, 1400 Independence Avenue SW., AgStop 1021,
Washington, DC 20250-1021; by telephone (202) 720-2916; by fax (202)
720-0876; or by email to Souleymane.Diaby@fas.usda.gov.
SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION: On May 6, 2016, USDA announced the
establishment of the in-quota quantity of the FY 2017 refined sugar TRQ
at 162,000 MTRV for which the sucrose content, by weight in the dry
state, must have a polarimeter reading of 99.5 degrees or more (81 FR
27390, May 6, 2016). This amount included the minimum level to which
the United States is committed under the WTO Uruguay Round Agreements
(22,000 MTRV of which 1,656 MTRV is reserved for specialty sugar) and
an additional 140,000 MTRV reserved for specialty sugars.
Pursuant to Additional U.S. Note 5 to Chapter 17 of the U.S.
Harmonized Tariff Schedule (HTS) and Section 359k of the Agricultural
Adjustment Act of 1938, as amended, the Secretary today increased the
overall FY 2017 refined sugar TRQ by 40,000 MTRV to 202,000 MTRV. The
increased amount is reserved for specialty sugar. Entry of this sugar
will be permitted beginning March 1, 2017. The sugar entered under this
tariff-rate quota is reserved for organic sugar and other specialty
sugars not currently produced commercially in the United States or
reasonably available from domestic sources.
Dated: February 7, 2017.
Jason Hafemeister,
Acting Deputy Under Secretary, Farm and Foreign Agricultural Services.
[FR Doc. 2017-03826 Filed 2-24-17; 8:45 am]
BILLING CODE 3410-P
