Agricultural Marketing Service April 2008 – Federal Register Recent Federal Regulation Documents

This proposed rule invites comments on revising the requirements regarding off-grade raisins under the Federal marketing order for California raisins (order). The order regulates the handling of raisins produced from grapes grown in California and is administered locally by the Raisin Administrative Committee (Committee). This proposed rule would revise the requirement that notification handlers must provide to the inspection service and the Committee when they perform certain functions on off-grade raisins be in writing, thereby allowing them to use other means of communication, including e-mail. This proposed rule would also remove the requirement that handlers submit reports to the Committee regarding transfers of off-grade and other failing raisins. This action would bring the order's administrative rules and regulations in line with current industry practices.

This rule establishes the quantity of spearmint oil produced in the Far West, by class that handlers may purchase from, or handle for, producers during the 2008-2009 marketing year, which begins on June 1, 2008. This rule establishes salable quantities and allotment percentages for Class 1 (Scotch) spearmint oil of 993,067 pounds and 50 percent, respectively, and for Class 3 (Native) spearmint oil of 1,184,748 pounds and 53 percent, respectively. The Spearmint Oil Administrative Committee (Committee), the agency responsible for local administration of the marketing order for spearmint oil produced in the Far West, recommended these limitations for the purpose of avoiding extreme fluctuations in supplies and prices to help maintain stability in the spearmint oil market.

The Agricultural Marketing Service (AMS) is proposing to raise user fees for cotton producers for 2008 crop cotton classification services under the Cotton Statistics and Estimates Act. These user fees also are authorized under the Cotton Standards Act of 1923. The 2007 user fee for this classification service was $1.85 per bale. This proposal would raise the fee for the 2008 crop to $2 per bale. The proposed fee and the existing reserve are sufficient to cover the costs of providing classification services, including costs for administration and supervision.

This document summarizes the results of an Agricultural Marketing Service (AMS) review of the National Dairy Promotion and Research Program (National Dairy Program) conducted under the Dairy Promotion and Research Order (Dairy Order), under the criteria contained in Section 610 of the Regulatory Flexibility Act (RFA). Based upon its review, AMS has determined that the Dairy Order should be continued without change.

This rule changes the current reporting requirements prescribed under the California pistachio marketing order (order). The order regulates the handling of pistachios grown in California and is administered locally by the Administrative Committee for Pistachios (committee). These changes will modify one existing committee form and add a new form to a currently-approved information collection. The information collected will require handlers to report production and producer data, enabling the committee to obtain better information for preparing its annual marketing policy statement and conducting committee nominations and periodic referenda under the order.