Department of Agriculture April 12, 2010 – Federal Register Recent Federal Regulation Documents

In accordance with the Paperwork Reduction Act of 1995 (44 U.S.C. Chapter 35), this notice announces the Agricultural Marketing Service's (AMS) intent to request an extension for and revision to a currently approved information collection for Tart Cherries Grown in Michigan, New York, Pennsylvania, Oregon, Utah, Washington and Wisconsin, Marketing Order No. 930 (7 CFR part 930).

This rule invites comments on proposed changes to the reporting and assessment date requirements prescribed under the marketing order regulating the handling of sweet onions grown in the Walla Walla Valley of southeast Washington and northeast Oregon. The marketing order is administered locally by the Walla Walla Sweet Onion Marketing Committee (hereinafter referred to as the ``Committee''). This rule would revise the submission due date for certain handler reports and assessment payments from September 1 to September 30. The proposed changes would allow handlers additional time to compile requisite information and submit it to the Committee. It is expected that this action would improve handler compliance with the administrative requirements of the marketing order.

The Ravalli County Resource Advisory Committee will meet in Hamilton, Montana. The purpose of the meeting is presentation on research of generating plants that have been built and project reviews.

The Olympic Peninsula Resource Advisory Committee will meet this May in Shelton, Washington. The purpose of this meeting will be to review project proposals and provide recommendations for Title II projects to be funded by the Secure Rural Schools and Community Self- Determination Act.

This proposed rule would establish a new U.S. honey producer funded research and promotion program under the Commodity Promotion, Research, and Information Act of 1996 (1996 Act). The proposed U.S. Honey Producer Research, Promotion and Consumer Information Order (Proposed U.S. Producer Order) was submitted to the Department of Agriculture (Department) by the American Honey Producers Association (AHPA). The Department is conducting an initial referendum to ascertain whether the persons to be covered by and assessed under the Proposed U.S. Producer Order favor the Order prior to it going into effect. The Proposed U.S. Producer Order would provide that producers pay an assessment to the U.S. Honey Producer Board (Proposed Board) at the rate of $0.02 cents per pound of U.S. honey produced and shall only be imposed on U.S. producers. A producer who produces less than 100,000 pounds of U.S. honey per year would be eligible for a certificate of exemption. The Proposed U.S. Producer Order would be implemented if it is approved by a majority of the producers voting in the referendum, which also represent a majority of the volume of U.S. honey produced during the representative period by those voting in the referendum. A separate final rule on referendum procedures is being published in this issue of the Federal Register.