Federal Register / Vol. 65, No. 128 / Monday, July 3, 2000 / Rules and Regulations 40975

decided that an assessment rate of less

than $0.09 would not generate the

income necessary to administer the

program with an adequate reserve. The

Committee recommended the decreased

assessment rate to help offset the

negative effects the current depressed

spearmint oil market is having on the

industry.

Expenditures recommended by the

Committee for the 2000–2001 marketing

year include $178,500 for Committee

expenses and $34,400 for administrative

expenses. For 2000–2001, a total of

$156,000 is budgeted for agency fees,

$21,000 is budgeted for Committee per

diem and travel, $16,500 is budgeted for

agency staff travel, and $10,700 is

budgeted for copying, mail handling,

postage, telephone and fax, cellular

phone charges, officer liability

insurance, and auditing. Actual

expenses for these items in 1999–2000

are estimated to total $165,000, $22,133,

$16,843, and $10,900. For 2000–2001,

funds also are budgeted for market

development ($5,000) and for

compliance ($1,000). Expenditures for

these items in 1999–2000 are expected

to total $5,000.

Based on 1999 prices, the average

price paid to producers for both Scotch

and Native spearmint oils during the

2000–2001 marketing year could be

about $9.80 per pound. Therefore, the

estimated assessment revenue for the

2000–2001 marketing year as a

percentage of total producer revenue

could be about 0.92 percent.

This action continues to decrease the

assessment obligation imposed on

handlers. While this rule will impose

some additional costs on handlers, the

costs are minimal and in the form of

uniform assessments on all handlers.

Some of the additional costs may be

passed on to producers. However, these

costs will be offset by the benefits

derived by the operation of the order. In

addition, the Committee’s meeting was

widely publicized throughout the Far

West spearmint oil industry and all

interested persons were invited to

attend the meeting and participate in

Committee deliberations on all issues.

Like all Committee meetings, the

February 23, 2000, meeting was a public

meeting and all entities, both large and

small, were able to express views on

this issue.

This action imposes no additional

reporting or recordkeeping requirements

on either small or large spearmint oil

handlers. As with all Federal marketing

order programs, reports and forms are

periodically reviewed to reduce

information requirements and

duplication by industry and public

sector agencies.

The Department has not identified

any relevant Federal rules that

duplicate, overlap, or conflict with this

rule.

An interim final rule concerning this

action was published in the Federal

Register on April 5, 2000 (65 FR 17756).

A copy of the rule was mailed to the

Committee office, which in turn

provided copies for Committee members

and industry members. Further, the

interim final rule was made available on

the Internet by the Office of the Federal

Register. A 30-day comment period was

provided for interested persons to

respond to the interim final rule. The

comment period ended on May 5, 2000,

and no comments were received.

A small business guide on complying

with fruit, vegetable, and specialty crop

marketing agreements and orders may

be viewed at: http://www.ams.usda.gov/

fv/moab.html. Any questions about the

compliance guide should be sent to Jay

Guerber at the previously mentioned

address in the FOR FURTHER INFORMATION

CONTACT section.

After consideration of all relevant

material presented, including the

information and recommendation

submitted by the Committee and other

available information, it is hereby found

that this rule, as hereinafter set forth,

will tend to effectuate the declared

policy of the Act.

List of Subjects in 7 CFR Part 985

Marketing agreements, Oils and fats,

Reporting and recordkeeping

requirements, Spearmint oil.

PART 985—MARKETING ORDER

REGULATING THE HANDLING OF

SPEARMINT OIL PRODUCED IN THE

FAR WEST

Accordingly, the interim final rule

amending 7 CFR part 985 which was

published at 65 FR 17756 on April 5,

2000, is adopted as a final rule without

change.

Dated: June 27, 2000.

Robert C. Keeney,

Deputy Administrator, Fruit and Vegetable

Programs.

[FR Doc. 00–16738 Filed 6–30–00; 8:45 am]

BILLING CODE 3410–02–P

DEPARTMENT OF AGRICULTURE

Agricultural Marketing Service

7 CFR Part 989

[Docket No. FV00–989–4 FIR]

Raisins Produced From Grapes Grown

In California; Final Free and Reserve

Percentages for 1999–2000 Crop

Natural (Sun-Dried) Seedless and

Zante Currant Raisins

AGENCY: Agricultural Marketing Service,

USDA.

ACTION: Final rule.

SUMMARY: The Department of

Agriculture (Department) is adopting, as

a final rule, without change, the

provisions of an interim final rule that

established final volume regulation

percentages for 1999–2000 crop Natural

(sun-dried) Seedless raisins (Naturals)

and Zante Currant raisins (Zantes)

covered under the Federal marketing

order for California raisins (order). The

volume regulation percentages are 85

percent free and 15 percent reserve for

Naturals and 51 percent free and 49

percent reserve for Zantes. The order

regulates the handling of raisins

produced from grapes grown in

California and is administered locally

by the Raisin Administrative Committee

(Committee). The volume regulation

percentages are intended to help

stabilize raisin supplies and prices, and

strengthen market conditions.

EFFECTIVE DATE: August 2, 2000.

FOR FURTHER INFORMATION CONTACT:

Maureen T. Pello, Marketing Specialist,

California Marketing Field Office,

Marketing Order Administration

Branch, Fruit and Vegetable Programs,

AMS, USDA, 2202 Monterey Street,

suite 102B, Fresno, California 93721;

telephone: (559) 487–5901, Fax: (559)

487–5906; or George Kelhart, Technical

Advisor, Marketing Order

Administration Branch, Fruit and

Vegetable Programs, AMS, USDA, room

2525–S, P.O. Box 96456, Washington,

DC 20090–6456; telephone: (202) 720–

2491, or Fax: (202) 720–5698.

Small businesses may request

information on complying with this

regulation by contacting Jay Guerber,

Marketing Order Administration

Branch, Fruit and Vegetable Programs,

AMS, USDA, P.O. Box 96456, room

2525–S, Washington, DC 20090–6456;

telephone: (202) 720–2491, Fax: (202)

720–5698, or E-mail:

Jay.Guerber@usda.gov.

SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION: This rule

is issued under Marketing Agreement

and Order No. 989 (7 CFR part 989),

40976 Federal Register / Vol. 65, No. 128 / Monday, July 3, 2000 / Rules and Regulations

both as amended, regulating the

handling of raisins produced from

grapes grown in California, hereinafter

referred to as the ‘‘order.’’ The order is

effective under the Agricultural

Marketing Agreement Act of 1937, as

amended (7 U.S.C. 601–674), hereinafter

referred to as the ‘‘Act.’’

The Department is issuing this rule in

conformance with Executive Order

12866.

This rule has been reviewed under

Executive Order 12988, Civil Justice

Reform. Under the order provisions now

in effect, final free and reserve

percentages may be established for

raisins acquired by handlers during the

crop year. This rule continues in effect

final free and reserve percentages for

Naturals and Zantes for the 1999–2000

crop year, which began August 1, 1999,

and ends July 31, 2000. This rule will

not preempt any State or local laws,

regulations, or policies, unless they

present an irreconcilable conflict with

this rule.

The Act provides that administrative

proceedings must be exhausted before

parties may file suit in court. Under

section 608c(15)(A) of the Act, any

handler subject to an order may file

with the Secretary a petition stating that

the order, any provision of the order, or

any obligation imposed in connection

with the order is not in accordance with

law and request a modification of the

order or to be exempted therefrom. A

handler is afforded the opportunity for

a hearing on the petition. After the

hearing, the Secretary would rule on the

petition. The Act provides that the

district court of the United States in any

district in which the handler is an

inhabitant, or has his or her principal

place of business, has jurisdiction in

equity to review the Secretary’s ruling

on the petition, provided an action is

filed not later than 20 days after the date

of the entry of the ruling.

This rule continues in effect final

volume regulation percentages for 1999–

2000 crop Naturals and Zantes covered

under the order. The volume regulation

percentages are 85 percent free and 15

percent reserve for Naturals and 51

percent free and 49 percent reserve for

Zantes. Free tonnage raisins may be sold

by handlers to any market. Reserve

raisins must be held in a pool for the

account of the Committee and are

disposed of through various programs

authorized under the order. For

example, reserve raisins may be sold by

the Committee to handlers for free use

or to replace part of the free tonnage

raisins they exported; used in diversion

programs; carried over as a hedge

against a short crop the following year;

or disposed of in other outlets not

competitive with those for free tonnage

raisins, such as government purchase,

distilleries, or animal feed.

The volume regulation percentages

are intended to help stabilize raisin

supplies and prices, and strengthen

market conditions. Final percentages for

Zantes were recommended by the

Committee on January 13, 2000, and for

Naturals on February 11, 2000.

Computation of Trade Demands

Section 989.54 of the order prescribes

the procedures and time frames to be

followed in establishing volume

regulation. This includes methodology

used to calculate percentages. Pursuant

to § 989.54(a) of the order, the

Committee met on August 12, 1999, to

review shipment and inventory data,

and other matters relating to the

supplies of raisins of all varietal types.

The Committee computed a trade

demand for each varietal type for which

a free tonnage percentage might be

recommended. Trade demand is

computed using a formula specified in

the order and, for each varietal type, is

equal to 90 percent of the prior year’s

shipments of free tonnage and reserve

tonnage raisins sold for free use into all

market outlets, adjusted by subtracting

the carryin on August 1 of the current

crop year and by adding the desirable

carryout at the end of that crop year. As

specified in § 989.154(a), the desirable

carryout for each varietal type is equal

to the shipments of free tonnage raisins

of the prior crop year during the months

of August, September, and one-half of

October. In accordance with these

provisions, the Committee computed

and announced 1999–2000 trade

demands for Naturals and Zantes at

254,475 and 1,855 tons, respectively, as

shown below.

COMPUTED TRADE DEMANDS

[Natural condition tons]

Naturals Zantes

Prior year’s shipments ............................................................................................................................................. 1 314,013 3,542

Multiplied by 90 percent .......................................................................................................................................... 0.90 0.90

Equals adjusted base .............................................................................................................................................. 282,612 3,188

Minus carryin inventory ............................................................................................................................................ 101,946 1,906

Plus desirable carryout ............................................................................................................................................ 73,809 573

Equals computed trade demand ............................................................................................................................. 254,475 1,855

1Pursuant to § 989.54(a), 1996–97 shipments were utilized to compute trade demand because 1998–99 shipments were limited.

Computation of Preliminary Volume

Regulation Percentages

As required under § 989.54(b) of the

order, the Committee met on October 1,

1999, and announced a preliminary

crop estimate of 294,519 tons for

Naturals. This estimate was almost 15

percent lower than the 10-year average

of 346,325 tons. Naturals are the major

varietal type of California raisins.

Combining the carryin inventory of

101,946 tons with the 294,519-ton crop

estimate resulted in a total available

supply of 396,465 tons, which was

much higher than the 254,475-ton trade

demand. Thus, the Committee

determined that volume regulation for

Naturals was warranted. The Committee

announced preliminary free and reserve

percentages for Naturals which released

65 percent of the computed trade

demand since the field price had not yet

been established. The preliminary

percentages were 56 percent free and 44

percent reserve. The Committee

authorized its staff to modify the

preliminary percentages to release 85

percent of the trade demand once the

field price was established. The field

price was established on October 22,

1999, and the preliminary percentages

were thus modified to 73 percent free

and 27 percent reserve.

Also at its October 1, 1999, meeting,

the Committee announced a preliminary

crop estimate for Zantes at 4,187 tons,

which is comparable to the 10-year

average of 4,463 tons. Combining the

carryin inventory of 1,906 tons with the

4,187-ton crop estimate resulted in a

total available supply of 6,093 tons,

which is significantly greater the 1,855-

ton trade demand. Thus, the Committee

determined that volume regulation for

Zantes was warranted. The Committee

Federal Register / Vol. 65, No. 128 / Monday, July 3, 2000 / Rules and Regulations 40977

announced preliminary free and reserve

percentages for Zantes which released

65 percent of the computed trade

demand since field price had not yet

been established. The preliminary

percentages were 29 percent free and 71

percent reserve. Like Naturals, the

Committee authorized its staff to modify

the preliminary percentages to release

85 percent of the trade demand once the

field price was established. The field

price was established on October 12,

1999, and the preliminary percentages

were thus modified to 38 percent free

and 62 percent reserve. As in past

seasons, the Committee submitted its

marketing policy to the Department for

review. In addition, the Committee

determined that volume regulation was

not warranted for the other varietal

types of raisins covered under the order.

Computation of Final Volume

Regulation Percentages

Pursuant to 989.54(c) and (d) of the

order, the Committee met on January 12,

2000, and announced interim

percentages for Zantes at 50.75 percent

free and 49.25 percent reserve. These

interim percentages were based on a

revised Zante crop estimate of 3,650

tons. At that meeting, the Committee

also computed final percentages for

Zantes which, when applied to the final

3,650-ton crop estimate, tend to release

the full Zante trade demand. Final

percentages compute to 51 percent free

and 49 percent reserve.

The Committee met on February 11,

2000, and announced interim

percentages for Naturals at 84.75

percent free and 15.25 percent reserve.

These interim percentages were based

on a revised crop estimate of 298,477

tons. The Committee also computed

final percentages for Naturals which,

when applied to the final 298,477-ton

crop estimate, tend to release the full

trade demand. Final percentages

compute to 85 percent free and 15

percent reserve. The Committee’s

calculations to arrive at final

percentages for Naturals and Zantes are

shown in the table below.

FINAL VOLUME REGULATION PERCENTAGES

[Tonnage as natural condition weight]

Naturals Zantes

Trade demand ......................................................................................................................................................... 254,475 1,855

Divided by crop estimate ......................................................................................................................................... 298,477 3,650

Equals free percentage ........................................................................................................................................... 85 51

100 minus free percentage equals reserve percentage ......................................................................................... 15 49

In addition, the Department’s

‘‘Guidelines for Fruit, Vegetable, and

Specialty Crop Marketing Orders’’

(Guidelines) specify that 110 percent of

recent years’ sales should be made

available to primary markets each

season for marketing orders utilizing

reserve pool authority. This goal was

met for Naturals and Zantes by the

establishment of final percentages that

released 100 percent of the trade

demand and the offer of additional

reserve raisins for sale to handlers under

the ‘‘10 plus 10 offers.’’ As specified in

§ 989.54(g), the 10 plus 10 offers are two

offers of reserve pool raisins that are

made available to handlers during each

season. For each such offer, a quantity

of reserve raisins equal to 10 percent of

the prior year’s shipments is made

available for free use. Handlers may sell

their 10 plus 10 raisins to any market.

For Naturals, both 10 plus 10 offers

were held in May 2000 where a total of

about 44,000 tons of raisins were made

available to handlers. This quantity is

less than the amount specified in the

order. As previously stated, the

Committee utilized 1996–97 shipments

of 314,013 tons as a base to compute

trade demand because 1998–99

shipments were limited. Similarly, as

specified in § 989.54(g), 1996–97

shipments were used as a base to

compute the amount of tonnage to be

made available in the 10 plus 10 offers.

Thus, 31,402 tons should have been

made available in each of the 10 plus 10

offers (62,804 tons total). However, this

amount was not available in the reserve.

Thus, all of the reserve pool raisins were

made available to handlers for free use

through the 10 plus 10 offers. A total of

265 tons of reserve Naturals were

purchased in the offers.

Adding the 265 tons of 10 plus 10

raisins to the 254,475-ton trade demand

figure, plus 101,946 tons of 1998–99

carryin inventory equates to about

356,686 tons natural condition raisins,

or 334,835 tons packed raisins, made

available for free use, or to the primary

market thus far this season. This is 121

percent of the quantity of Naturals

shipped during the 1998–99 crop year

(295,401 natural condition tons or

277,305 packed tons).

For Zantes, both Zante 10 plus 10

offers were made available

simultaneously in early February 2000

and 708 tons of raisins were purchased

by handlers. Adding the 708 tons of 10

plus 10 raisins to the 1,855 ton trade

demand figure, plus 1,906 tons of 1998–

99 carryin inventory equates to 4,469

tons natural condition raisins, or about

3,985 tons packed raisins, made

available for free use, or to the primary

market. This is 126 percent of the

quantity of Zantes shipped during the

1998–99 crop year (3,542 natural

condition tons or 3,158 packed tons).

In addition to the 10 plus 10 offers,

§ 989.67(j) of the order provides

authority for sales of reserve raisins to

handlers under certain conditions such

as a national emergency, crop failure,

change in economic or marketing

conditions, or if free tonnage shipments

in the current crop year exceed

shipments of a comparable period of the

prior crop year. Such reserve raisins

may be sold by handlers to any market.

When implemented, these additional

offers of reserve raisins make even more

raisins available to primary markets,

which is consistent with the

Department’s Guidelines.

Final Regulatory Flexibility Analysis

Pursuant to requirements set forth in

the Regulatory Flexibility Act (RFA), the

Agricultural Marketing Service (AMS)

has considered the economic impact of

this action on small entities.

Accordingly, AMS has prepared this

final regulatory flexibility analysis.

The purpose of the RFA is to fit

regulatory actions to the scale of

business subject to such actions in order

that small businesses will not be unduly

or disproportionately burdened.

Marketing orders issued pursuant to the

Act, and rules issued thereunder, are

unique in that they are brought about

through group action of essentially

small entities acting on their own

behalf. Thus, both statutes have small

entity orientation and compatibility.

There are approximately 20 handlers

of California raisins who are subject to

regulation under the order and

approximately 4,500 raisin producers in

the regulated area. Small agricultural

service firms are defined by the Small

Business Administration (13 CFR

121.201) as those having annual receipts

40978 Federal Register / Vol. 65, No. 128 / Monday, July 3, 2000 / Rules and Regulations

of less than $5,000,000, and small

agricultural producers are defined as

those having annual receipts of less than

$500,000. Thirteen of the 20 handlers

subject to regulation have annual sales

estimated to be at least $5,000,000, and

the remaining 7 handlers have sales less

than $5,000,000, excluding receipts

from any other sources. No more than 7

handlers, and a majority of producers, of

California raisins may be classified as

small entities, excluding receipts from

other sources.

Pursuant to § 989.54(d) of the order,

this rule continues in effect final

volume regulation percentages for 1999–

2000 crop Natural and Zante raisins.

The volume regulation percentages are

85 percent free and 15 percent reserve

for Naturals and 51 percent free and 49

percent reserve for Zantes. Free tonnage

raisins may be sold by handlers to any

market. Reserve raisins must be held in

a pool for the account of the Committee

and are disposed of through certain

programs authorized under the order.

Volume regulation is warranted this

season for Naturals because the final

crop estimate of 298,477 tons combined

with the carryin inventory of 101,946

tons results in a total available supply

of 400,423 tons, which is about 57

percent higher than the 254,475-ton

trade demand. Volume regulation is

warranted for Zantes this season

because the crop estimate of 3,650 tons

combined with the carryin inventory of

1,906 tons results in a total available

supply of 5,556 tons which is about 200

percent higher than the 1,855-ton trade

demand. The volume regulation

percentages are intended to help

stabilize raisin supplies and prices, and

strengthen market conditions.

Many years of marketing experience

led to the development of the current

volume regulation procedures. These

procedures have helped the industry

address its marketing problems by

keeping supplies in balance with

domestic and export market needs, and

strengthening market conditions. The

current volume regulation procedures

fully supply the domestic and export

markets, provide for market expansion,

and help prevent oversupplies in the

domestic market.

Raisin-variety grapes can be marketed

as fresh grapes, crushed for use in the

production of wine or juice concentrate,

or dried into raisins. Annual

fluctuations in the fresh grape, wine,

and concentrate markets, as well as

weather-related factors, cause

fluctuations in raisin supply. These

supply fluctuations can cause producer

price instability and disorderly market

conditions. Volume regulation is helpful

to the raisin industry because it lessens

the impact of such fluctuations and

contributes to orderly marketing. For

example, excluding the 1997–98 season

for which complete data is not yet

available, producer prices for Naturals

have remained fairly steady between the

1992–93 through the 1998–99 seasons,

although production has varied. As

shown in the table below, production

has varied from a low of 240,469 tons

in 1998–99 to a high of 387,007 tons in

1993–94, or 61 percent. According to

Committee data, during years of Natural

volume regulation, the total producer

return per ton, which includes proceeds

from both free tonnage plus reserve pool

raisins, has varied from a low of $901

in 1992–93 to a high of $1,049 in 1996–

97, or 16 percent.

NATURAL SEEDLESS PRODUCER PRICES

Crop year

Production (natural condition

tons)

Producer prices

1998–99 ....................................................................................................................................................... 240,469 1 $1,290

1997–98 ....................................................................................................................................................... 382,448 2 925.50

1996–97 ....................................................................................................................................................... 272,063 1,049

1995–96 ....................................................................................................................................................... 325,911 1,007

1994–95 ....................................................................................................................................................... 378,427 928

1993–94 ....................................................................................................................................................... 387,007 904

1992–93 ....................................................................................................................................................... 371,516 901

1 No volume regulation.

2 Return to date, reserve pool still open.

In addition, the Committee is

implementing an export program for

Naturals. Through this program, the

Committee hopes to export more

Naturals thereby helping to build and

maintain export markets, and ultimately

improve producer returns. Volume

regulation helps the industry not only to

manage its supply of raisins, but also

maintain market stability.

Regarding Zantes, Zante production is

much smaller than that of Naturals.

Volume regulation has been

implemented for Zantes during the

1994–95, 1995–96, 1997–98, and 1998–

99 seasons. Various programs to utilize

reserve Zantes were implemented when

volume regulation was in effect during

those seasons. As shown in the table

following this paragraph, although

production varied during those years,

volume regulation helped to reduce

inventories, and helped to strengthen

total producer prices (free tonnage plus

reserve Zantes) from $412.56 per ton in

1994–95 to an estimated high of $730

per ton in 1997–98. The Committee is

implementing an export program for

Zantes, in addition to Naturals. Through

this program, the Committee hopes to

export more Zantes, thereby continuing

to reduce the industry’s oversupply,

helping to build export markets, and

ultimately improve producer returns.

Volume regulation helps the industry

not only to manage oversupplies of

raisins, but also maintain market

stability.

ZANTE CURRANT INVENTORIES AND PRODUCER PRICES DURING YEARS OF VOLUME REGULATION

[*Natural condition tons]

Crop year Production*

Inventory* Total season

average producer price

(per ton) Desirable Physical

1998–99 ........................................................................................................... 3,880 573 1,906 (1)

Federal Register / Vol. 65, No. 128 / Monday, July 3, 2000 / Rules and Regulations 40979

ZANTE CURRANT INVENTORIES AND PRODUCER PRICES DURING YEARS OF VOLUME REGULATION—Continued

[*Natural condition tons]

Crop year Production*

Inventory* Total season

average producer price

(per ton) Desirable Physical

1997–98 ........................................................................................................... 4,826 694 1,188 2 $730.00

1996–97 ........................................................................................................... 4,491 987 549 3 1,150.00

1995–96 ........................................................................................................... 3,294 782 2,890 711.32

1994–95 ........................................................................................................... 5,377 837 4,364 412.56

1 Data not yet available, reserve pool open.

2Estimate.

3 No volume regulation.

Free and reserve percentages are

established by variety, and usually in

years when the supply exceeds the trade

demand by a large enough margin that

the Committee believes volume

regulation is necessary to maintain

market stability. However, volume

regulation may also be utilized in short

crop years so that the industry may

utilize its export program as described

to maintain its export markets and

provide stability in the domestic market.

Accordingly, in assessing whether to

apply volume regulation or, as an

alternative, not to apply such regulation,

the Committee recommended only two

of the nine raisin varieties defined

under the order for volume regulation

this season.

The free and reserve percentages

release the full trade demands and

apply uniformly to all handlers in the

industry, regardless of size. For

Naturals, with the exception of the

1998–99 crop year, small and large

raisin producers and handlers have been

operating under volume regulation

percentages every year since 1983–84.

There are no known additional costs

incurred by small handlers that are not

incurred by large handlers. All handlers

are regulated based on the quantity of

raisins that they acquire from producers.

While the level of benefits of this

rulemaking are difficult to quantify, the

stabilizing effects of the volume

regulations impact both small and large

handlers positively by helping them

maintain and expand markets even

though raisin supplies fluctuate widely

from season to season. Likewise, price

stability positively impacts small and

large producers by allowing them to

better anticipate the revenues their

raisins will generate.

There are some reporting,

recordkeeping and other compliance

requirements under the order. The

reporting and recordkeeping burdens

are necessary for compliance purposes

and for developing statistical data for

maintenance of the program. The

requirements are the same as those

applied in past seasons. Thus, this

action will not impose any additional

reporting or recordkeeping burdens on

either small or large handlers. The forms

require information that is readily

available from handler records and

which can be provided without data

processing equipment or trained

statistical staff. The information

collection and recordkeeping

requirements have been previously

approved by the Office of Management

and Budget (OMB) under OMB Control

No. 0581–0178. As with other, similar

marketing order programs, reports and

forms are periodically studied to reduce

or eliminate duplicate information

collection burdens by industry and

public sector agencies. In addition, the

Department has not identified any

relevant Federal rules that duplicate,

overlap, or conflict with this rule.

Further, Committee and

subcommittee meetings are widely

publicized in advance and are held in

a location central to the production area.

The meetings are open to all industry

members, including small business

entities, and other interested persons

who are encouraged to participate in the

deliberations and voice their opinions

on topics under discussion.

An interim final rule concerning this

action was published in the Federal

Register on April 10, 2000 (65 FR

18871). Copies of the rule were mailed

by the Committee staff to all Committee

members and alternates, the Raisin

Bargaining Association, handlers, and

dehydrators. In addition, the rule was

made available through the Internet by

the Office of the Federal Register. That

rule provided for a 60-day comment

period, which ended June 9, 2000. No

comments were received.

A small business guide on complying

with fruit, vegetable, and specialty crop

marketing agreements and orders may

be viewed at: http://www.ams.usda.gov/

fv/moab/html. Any questions about the

compliance guide should be sent to Jay

Guerber at the previously mentioned

address in the FOR FURTHER INFORMATION

CONTACT section.

After consideration of all relevant

material presented, including the

Committee’s recommendation, and

other information, it is found that this

final rule, as hereinafter set forth, will

tend to effectuate the declared policy of

the Act.

List of Subjects in 7 CFR Part 989

Grapes, Marketing agreements,

Raisins, Reporting and recordkeeping

requirements.

PART 989—RAISINS PRODUCED

FROM GRAPES GROWN IN

CALIFORNIA

Accordingly, the interim final rule

amending 7 CFR part 989 which was

published at 69 FR 18871 on April 10,

2000, is adopted as a final rule without

change.

Dated: June 27, 2000

Robert C. Keeney,

Deputy Administrator, Fruit and Vegetable

Programs.

[FR Doc. 00–16739 Filed 6–30–00; 8:45 am]

BILLING CODE 3410–02–P

FEDERAL HOUSING FINANCE BOARD

12 CFR Parts 925 and 950

[No. 2000–30]

RIN 3069–AA94

Amendment of Membership Regulation

and Advances Regulation

AGENCY: Federal Housing Finance

Board.

ACTION: Final rule.

SUMMARY: The Federal Housing Finance

Board (Finance Board) is adopting as

final, with several changes, the Interim

Final Rule that: Amended its

Membership Regulation and Advances

Regulation to conform certain

provisions to the requirements of the