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[Federal Register Volume 80, Number 10 (Thursday, January 15, 2015)]
[Proposed Rules]
[Pages 2060-2061]
From the Federal Register Online via the Government Printing Office [www.gpo.gov]
[FR Doc No: 2015-00540]

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DEPARTMENT OF AGRICULTURE

Agricultural Marketing Service

7 CFR Parts 900, 1150, 1160, 1205, 1206, 1207, 1208, 1209, 1210, 
1212, 1214, 1215, 1216, 1217, 1218, 1219, 1220, 1221, 1222, 1230, 
1250, 1260, and 1280

[Document Number AMS-FV-14-0032]

Exemption of Organic Products From Assessment Under a Commodity 
Promotion Law

AGENCY: Agricultural Marketing Service, USDA.

ACTION: Extension of comment period.

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SUMMARY: Notice is hereby given that the comment period on proposed 
modifications to the organic assessment exemption regulations under 23 
Federal marketing orders and 22 research and promotion programs is 
extended until February 17, 2015. The proposed rule would expand the 
organic assessment exemption to cover all ``organic'' and ``100 percent 
organic'' products certified under the National Organic Program 
regardless of whether the person requesting the exemption also 
produces, handles, markets, or imports conventional or nonorganic 
products. The authority for this proposal is in section 10004 of the 
Agricultural Act of 2014.

DATES: Comments must be received by February 17, 2015.

ADDRESSES: Interested persons are invited to submit written comments 
concerning this proposal. Comments must be sent to the Docket Clerk, 
Marketing Order and Agreement Division, Fruit and Vegetable Program, 
AMS, USDA, 1400 Independence Avenue SW., STOP 0237, Washington, DC 
20250-0237; Fax: (202) 720-8938; or Internet: http://www.regulations.gov. All comments should reference the document number 
and the date and page number of this issue and the December 16, 2014, 
issue of the Federal Register. Comments will be included in the record 
and made available for public inspection in the Office of the Docket 
Clerk during regular business hours, or can be viewed at: http://www.regulations.gov. Please be advised that the identity of the 
individuals or entities submitting the comments will be made public on 
the Internet at the address provided above.

FOR FURTHER INFORMATION CONTACT: Barry Broadbent, Senior Marketing 
Specialist, or Michelle Sharrow, Branch Chief, Marketing Order and 
Agreement Division, Fruit and Vegetable Program, AMS, USDA, 1400 
Independence Avenue SW., STOP 0237, Washington, DC 20250-0237; 
Telephone: (202) 720-2491, Fax: (202) 720-8938; or email: 
Barry.Broadbent@ams.usda.gov, or Michelle.Sharrow@ams.usda.gov.

SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION: A proposed rule was published in the Federal 
Register on December 16, 2014 (79 FR 75006). The proposed rule would 
expand the organic assessment exemption, currently only available to 
entities that produce or market solely 100 percent organic products, to 
cover all ``organic'' and ``100 percent organic'' products certified 
under the National Organic Program regardless of whether the person 
requesting the exemption also produces, handles, markets, or imports 
conventional or nonorganic products. The action is authorized by the 
Agricultural Act of 2014. The comment period established in the 
proposed rule closes January 15, 2015.
    USDA received comments from affected programs and industry members 
requesting that the comment period be extended beyond January 15, 2015. 
The comments expressed concern that the original December 16 to January

[[Page 2061]]

15 comment period was insufficient given the numerous holidays that 
occurred during that timeframe. The commenters requested the extension 
to provide additional time for interested persons to analyze the 
proposal and to submit written comments.
    After reviewing the requests, USDA is extending the comment period 
to February 17, 2015. This will provide interested persons over 60 days 
to review the proposed rule, perform a complete analysis, and submit 
written comments.

    Authority:  This document is issued pursuant to the Agricultural 
Marketing Agreement Act of 1937 (7 U.S.C. 601-674); Beef Promotion 
and Research Act of 1985 (7 U.S.C. 2901-2911); Commodity Promotion, 
Research, and Information Act of 1996 (7 U.S.C. 7411-7425); Cotton 
Research and Promotion Act of 1966 (7 U.S.C. 2101-2118); Dairy 
Production Stabilization Act of 1983 (7 U.S.C. 4501-4514); Egg 
Research and Consumer Information Act of 1974 (7 U.S.C. 2701-2718); 
Fluid Milk Promotion Act of 1990 (7 U.S.C. 6401-6417); Hass Avocado 
Promotion, Research, and Information Act of 2000 (7 U.S.C. 7801-
7813); Mushroom Promotion, Research, and Consumer Information Act of 
1990 (7 U.S.C. 6101-6112); Popcorn Promotion, Research, and Consumer 
Information Act of 1996 (7 U.S.C. 7481-7491); Pork Promotion, 
Research, and Consumer Information Act of 1985 (7 U.S.C. 4801-4819); 
Potato Research and Promotion Act of 1971 (7 U.S.C. 2611-2627); 
Soybean Promotion, Research, and Consumer Information Act (7 U.S.C. 
6301-6311); and Watermelon Research and Promotion Act (7 U.S.C. 
4901-4916); and 7 U.S.C. 7401.

    Dated: January 12, 2015.
Rex A. Barnes,
Associate Administrator, Agricultural Marketing Service.
[FR Doc. 2015-00540 Filed 1-14-15; 8:45 am]
BILLING CODE 3410-02-P
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