Department of Agriculture January 12, 2005 – Federal Register Recent Federal Regulation Documents

This final rule establishes a new Part 926 in the Code of Federal Regulations which requires persons engaged in the handling or importation of fresh cranberries or cranberry products (including handlers, producer-handlers, processors, brokers, and importers) not subject to the reporting requirements of the Federal cranberry marketing order (order) to report sales, acquisition, and inventory information to the Cranberry Marketing Committee (Committee), and to maintain adequate records on such activities. The establishment of the data collection, reporting, and recordkeeping requirements for entities not subject to the order is authorized under an amendment to section 8(d) of the Agricultural Marketing Agreement Act of 1937. The additional information is needed by the Committee to make more informed recommendations to USDA for regulations authorized under the cranberry marketing order. This rule also finalizes the Agricultural Marketing Service's intention to request approval of the new data collection and reporting requirements by the Office of Management and Budget.

This document invites comments on a proposed amendment to the Fluid Milk Promotion Order (Order). The proposed amendment, requested by the National Fluid Milk Processor Promotion Board (Board), which administers the Order, would modify the terms of membership on the Board. The proposed amendment would require that any change in a fluid milk processor member's employer or change in ownership of the fluid milk processor who the member represents would disqualify that member. The member would continue to serve on the Board for a period of up to six months until a successor was appointed. In addition, a public member to the Board who changes employment, gains employment with a new employer, or ceases to continue in the same business would be disqualified in a manner similar to a fluid milk processor member. The Board believes that the proposed amendments are necessary to ensure the Board is able to equitably represent fluid milk processing constituents and the public interest through the National Fluid Milk Processor Promotion Program.

In accordance with the Paperwork Reduction Act of 1995, this notice announces the Rural Business-Cooperative Service's (RBS) intention to request an extension of the clearance for an existing information collection in order to render service to associations of producers of agricultural, forestry, fisheries products and federations, and subsidiaries, thereof, as authorized in the Cooperative Marketing Act of 1926.

The Agricultural Marketing Service (AMS) is proposing to amend the Cotton Board Rules and Regulations by adjusting the total rate of assessment per kilogram for imported cotton collected for use by the Cotton Research and Promotion Program. The proposed total rate of assessment would be calculated by adding together the $1 per bale equivalent assessment and the supplemental assessment, and adjusting the sum to account for the estimated amount of U.S. cotton contained in imported textile products. The proposed adjustment would reduce the assessable portion of the cotton content of imported textile products by the estimated average amount of U.S. cotton contained therein. Exemptions and refunds would continue to be provided for importers wishing to document the U.S. cotton content of specific goods. The proposed rule would continue to ensure that the total assessment collected on imported cotton and the cotton content of imported products remain similar to those paid on domestically produced cotton, and that the U.S. cotton content of imported products is not subject to more than one assessment.