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[Federal Register Volume 79, Number 12 (Friday, January 17, 2014)]
[Proposed Rules]
[Page 3139]
From the Federal Register Online via the Government Printing Office [www.gpo.gov]
[FR Doc No: 2014-00773]

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Proposed Rules
                                                Federal Register
________________________________________________________________________

This section of the FEDERAL REGISTER contains notices to the public of 
the proposed issuance of rules and regulations. The purpose of these 
notices is to give interested persons an opportunity to participate in 
the rule making prior to the adoption of the final rules.

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Federal Register / Vol. 79, No. 12 / Friday, January 17, 2014 / 
Proposed Rules

[[Page 3139]]

DEPARTMENT OF AGRICULTURE

Agricultural Marketing Service

7 CFR Part 1216

[Document Number AMS-FV-13-0089]

Peanut Promotion, Research and Information Order; Continuance 
Referendum

AGENCY: Agricultural Marketing Service, Agriculture.

ACTION: Referendum order.

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SUMMARY: This document directs that a referendum be conducted among 
eligible producers of peanuts to determine whether they favor 
continuance of the Peanut Promotion, Research and Information Order 
(Order).

DATES: The referendum will be conducted from April 7 through April 18, 
2014. To vote in this referendum, producers must have paid assessments 
on peanuts produced during the representative period from January 1 
through December 31, 2013, and must currently be a peanut producer.

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: (888) 720-9917 (toll free), (202) 
720-9915 (direct line); facsimile: (202) 205-2800.

FOR FURTHER INFORMATION CONTACT: Jeanette Palmer, Marketing Specialist, 
PED, FVP, AMS, USDA, Stop 0244, Room 1406-S, 1400 Independence Avenue 
SW., Washington, DC 20250-0244; telephone: (888) 720-9917 (toll free), 
(202) 720-9915 (direct line); facsimile: (202) 205-2800; or electronic 
mail: Jeanette.Palmer@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 producers of peanuts 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 through December 31, 
2013. Persons who are currently producers of peanuts, and who produced 
peanuts and paid assessments during the representative period 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 from April 7 through April 18, 
2014.
    Section 518 of the Act authorizes continuance referenda. Under 
section 1216.82 of the Order, the U.S. Department of Agriculture 
(Department) must conduct a referendum every five years or when 10 
percent or more of the eligible peanut producers 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 is approved by a simple majority of 
the producers voting 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 9,208 producers 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.
    Jeanette Palmer and Sonia Jimenez, 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 7 CFR 1216.100 through 1216.107, 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 producers prior to the 
first day of the voting period. Persons who are producers at the time 
of the referendum and who produced peanuts and paid assessments during 
the representative period are eligible to vote. Persons who received an 
exemption from assessments during the entire representative period are 
ineligible to vote. Any eligible producer who does not receive a ballot 
should contact the referendum agent no later than one week before the 
end of the voting period. Ballots must be received by the referendum 
agent, not later than close of business 4:30 p.m. Eastern time, April 
18, 2014, in order to be counted.

List of Subjects in 7 CFR Part 1216

    Administrative practice and procedure, Advertising, Consumer 
information, Marketing agreements, Peanut promotion, Reporting and 
recordkeeping requirements.

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

    Dated: January 10, 2014.
Rex A. Barnes,
Associate Administrator.
[FR Doc. 2014-00773 Filed 1-16-14; 8:45 am]
BILLING CODE 3410-02-P
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