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[Federal Register Volume 80, Number 29 (Thursday, February 12, 2015)]
[Proposed Rules]
[Pages 7811-7812]
From the Federal Register Online via the Government Printing Office [www.gpo.gov]
[FR Doc No: 2015-02901]

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DEPARTMENT OF AGRICULTURE

Agricultural Marketing Service

7 CFR Part 1212

[Document Number AMS-FV-14-0097]

Honey Packers and Importers Research, Promotion, Consumer 
Education and Industry Information Order; Continuance Referendum

AGENCY: Agricultural Marketing Service, USDA.

ACTION: Referendum order.

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SUMMARY: This document directs that a referendum be conducted among 
eligible first handlers and importers of honey or honey products to 
determine

[[Page 7812]]

whether they favor continuance of the Honey Packers and Importers 
Research, Promotion, Consumer Education and Industry Information Order 
(Order).

DATES: This referendum will be conducted from April 13 through April 
24, 2015. To vote in this referendum, first handlers and importers must 
have handled or imported 250,000 or more pounds of honey or honey 
products during the representative period from January 1 through 
December 31, 2014, paid assessments during the representative period, 
and must currently be a first handler or importer of honey or honey 
products subject to assessments. Ballots must be received by the close 
of business on April 24, 2015, to be counted.

ADDRESSES: Copies of the Order may be obtained from: Referendum Agent, 
Promotion and Economics Division (PED), Fruit and Vegetable Program 
(FVP), AMS, USDA, Stop 0244, Room 1406-S, 1400 Independence Avenue SW., 
Washington, DC 20250-0244, telephone: (202) 720-9915, facsimile: (202) 
205-2800.

FOR FURTHER INFORMATION CONTACT: Patricia Petrella, Marketing 
Specialist, PED, FVP, AMS, USDA, STOP 0244, Room 1406-S, 1400 
Independence Avenue SW., Washington, DC 20250-0244; telephone: (202) 
720-9915; facsimile: (202) 205-2800; or electronic mail: 
patricia.petrella@ams.usda.gov.

SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION: Pursuant to the Commodity Promotion, 
Research and Information Act of 1996 (7 U.S.C. 7411-7425) (Act), it is 
hereby directed that a referendum be conducted to ascertain whether 
continuance of the Order is favored by eligible first handlers and 
importers of honey or honey products covered under the program. The 
Order is authorized under the Act.
    The representative period for establishing voter eligibility for 
the referendum shall be the period from January 1, 2014, to December 
31, 2014. First handlers and importers of 250,000 or more pounds of 
honey or honey products who have paid assessments during the 
representative period and are currently first handlers and importers 
subject to assessments are eligible to vote. Persons who received an 
exemption from assessments for the entire representative period are 
ineligible to vote. The referendum shall be conducted by mail ballot 
from April 13, 2015 through April 24, 2015.
    Section 518 of the Act authorizes continuance referenda. Under 
section 1212.81 of the Order, the U.S. Department of Agriculture 
(Department) shall conduct a referendum every seven years, at the 
request of the Board established in the Order, or when 10 percent or 
more of the eligible voters petition the Secretary of Agriculture to 
hold a referendum to determine if persons subject to assessment favor 
continuance of the Order. The Department would continue the Order if 
continuance of the Order is favored by a majority of the first handlers 
and importers voting in the referendum and a majority of volume voted 
in the referendum.
    In accordance with the Paperwork Reduction Act of 1995 (44 U.S.C. 
chapter 35), the referendum ballot has been approved by the Office of 
Management and Budget (OMB) and assigned OMB No. 0581-0093. It has been 
estimated that there are approximately 40 first handlers and 660 
importers who will be eligible to vote in the referendum. It will take 
an average of 15 minutes for each voter to read the voting instructions 
and complete the referendum ballot.

Referendum Order

    Patricia Petrella and Heather Pichelman, PED, FVP, AMS, USDA, Stop 
0244, Room 1406-S, 1400 Independence Avenue SW., Washington, DC 20250-
0244, are designated as the referendum agents to conduct this 
referendum. The referendum procedures at 7 CFR 1212.100 through 
1212.108, which were issued pursuant to the Act, shall be used to 
conduct the referendum.
    The referendum agents will mail the ballots to be cast in the 
referendum and voting instructions to all known first handlers and 
importers of 250,000 or more pounds of honey or honey products in the 
2014 calendar year, prior to the first day of the voting period. 
Persons who are eligible first handlers or importers during the 
representative period and are first handlers or importers at the time 
of the referendum are eligible to vote. Persons who received an 
exemption from assessments during the entire representative period are 
ineligible to vote. Any eligible first handler or importer who does not 
receive a ballot should contact a referendum agent no later than one 
week before the end of the voting period. Ballots must be received by a 
referendum agent, not later than close of business 4:30 p.m. Eastern 
time, April 24, 2015, in order to be counted.

List of Subjects in 7 CFR Part 1212

    Administrative practice and procedure, Advertising, Consumer 
information, Honey Packers and Importer promotion, Marketing 
agreements, Reporting and recordkeeping requirements.

    Authority:  7 U.S.C. 7411-7425 and 7 U.S.C. 7401.

    Dated: February 6, 2015.
Rex A. Barnes,
Associate Administrator.
[FR Doc. 2015-02901 Filed 2-11-15; 8:45 am]
BILLING CODE 3410-02-P
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