31574 Federal Register / Vol. 76, No. 105 / Wednesday, June 1, 2011 / Notices 

research in the areas of U.S. marketing, 

international marketing, cotton 

production and processing, and textile 

research and implementation. 

The program is administered by the 

Cotton Board, which has 41 members, 

41 alternate members and one consumer 

advisor. The Cotton Board is composed 

of representatives of cotton producers 

and cotton importers, each of whom has 

an alternate selected by the Secretary of 

Agriculture from nominations submitted 

by eligible producer and importer 

organizations. All members and their 

alternates serve terms of 3 years. The 

Cotton Board’s responsibility is to 

administer the provisions of the Cotton 

Research and Promotion Order issued 

pursuant to the Act. These 

responsibilities include collecting, 

holding and safeguarding funds; making 

refunds when refunds are a provision of 

the Order; contracting with an 

organization for the development and 

implementation of programs of research 

and promotion; reviewing and making 

recommendations to the Secretary of 

Agriculture on proposed programs and 

budgets; and making funds available for 

such programs when approved. The 

objective of the Cotton Research and 

Promotion Program is to strengthen 

cotton’s competitive position and to 

maintain and expand domestic and 

foreign markets and uses for cotton. The 

Cotton Board is prohibited from 

participating in any matters influencing 

governmental policies or action except 

recommendations for amendments to 

the Order. 

Amendments to the Act were enacted 

under subtitle G of title XIX of the Food, 

Agriculture, Conservation, and Trade 

Act of 1990 (Pub. L. 101–624, 104 stat. 

3909, November 28, 1990). These 

amendments provided for: (1) Importer 

representation on the Cotton Board; (2) 

the assessment of imported cotton and 

cotton products; (3) increasing the 

amount the Secretary of Agriculture can 

be reimbursed for conduct of a 

referendum from $200,000 to $300,000; 

(4) reimbursing government agencies 

who assist in administering the 

collection of assessments on imported 

cotton and cotton products; and (5) 

terminating the right of a producer to 

demand a refund of assessments. The 

Act Amendments of 1990 were 

approved by a majority (60 percent) of 

importers and producers of cotton 

voting in a referendum conducted July 

17–26, 1991, as required by the Act. 

Results of this referendum were 

announced in a nationally distributed 

press release dated August 2, 1991. 

The Cotton Research and Promotion 

Act Amendment of 1990, Section 8(c) 

provides that once every 5 years after 

the July 1991 referendum, the Secretary 

of Agriculture is to conduct a review to 

ascertain whether a referendum is 

needed. In such a referendum, 

producers and importers would 

determine whether they favor 

continuation of the amendments to the 

Order provided for in the Cotton 

Research and Promotion Act 

Amendments of 1990. These 

amendments to the Order were 

promulgated in final rules published in 

the Federal Register on December 10, 

1991 (56 FR 64470), corrected at (56 FR 

66670). 

The results of the most recent review 

report of the Cotton Research and 

Promotion Program were issued on 

March 6, 2007. USDA announced its 

view (72 FR 9918) not to conduct a 

referendum regarding the 1991 

amendments to the Order. In accordance 

with Section 8(c)(2) of the Act, USDA 

provided an opportunity for all eligible 

persons to request a continuance 

referendum on the 1991 amendments by 

making such a request during a sign-up 

period. During the period of September 

3–November 30, 2007, the Department 

conducted a sign-up period for all 

eligible persons to request a 

continuance referendum on the 1990 

Act amendments. The results of the 

sign-up period did not meet the criteria 

established for a continuance 

referendum by the Cotton Research and 

Promotion Act and therefore, a 

referendum was not conducted. 

In 2011, in accordance with the 

provisions of the Act, the Secretary of 

Agriculture will conduct its review of 

the Cotton Research and Promotion 

Program Act amendments to ascertain 

whether a referendum is needed to 

determine whether producers and 

importers support continuation of the 

amendments to the Order, as provided 

for by the 1990 Act amendments. The 

Secretary of Agriculture should make a 

public announcement of the results of 

the review on September 24, 2011 (60 

days after each fifth anniversary date of 

the referendum). If the Secretary of 

Agriculture determines that a 

referendum is needed, the Secretary of 

Agriculture should conduct the 

referendum by September 24, 2012 

(within 12 months after a public 

announcement of the determination to 

conduct the referendum). 

If the Secretary determines that a 

referendum is not warranted, a sign-up 

period to request such a referendum 

will be made available to cotton 

producers and importers. A referendum 

will be held if requested by 10 percent 

or more of those voting in the most 

recent referendum as long as not more 

than 20 percent are from any one State 

or importers of cotton. This sign-up 

period would be announced in the 

Federal Register. A 60-day comment 

period is provided for interested 

persons to provide comments to be used 

by USDA in its review. All interested 

persons are invited to submit written 

comments. 

Authority: 7 U.S.C. 2101–2118. 

Dated: May 24, 2011. 

Rayne Pegg, 

Administrator, Agricultural Marketing 

Service. 

[FR Doc. 2011–13500 Filed 5–31–11; 8:45 am] 

BILLING CODE 3410–02–P 

DEPARTMENT OF AGRICULTURE 

Agricultural Marketing Service 

[Doc. No. AMS–FV–11–0044; FV11–996–1] 

Peanut Standards Board 

AGENCY: Agricultural Marketing Service, 

USDA. 

ACTION: Notice; request for nominations. 

SUMMARY: The Farm Security and Rural 

Investment Act of 2002 (2002 Farm Bill) 

requires the Secretary of Agriculture to 

establish a Peanut Standards Board 

(Board) for the purpose of advising the 

Secretary on quality and handling 

standards for domestically produced 

and imported peanuts. The initial Board 

was appointed by the Secretary and 

announced on December 5, 2002. USDA 

seeks nominations for individuals to be 

considered for selection as Board 

members for terms of office ending June 

30, 2014. Selected nominees would 

replace three producer and two industry 

representatives who currently serve on 

the Board and have terms of office that 

end June 30, 2011. Also, one individual 

would fill a currently vacant industry 

position. The Board consists of 18 

members representing producers and 

the industry. 

DATES: Written nominations must be 

received on or before June 13, 2011. 

ADDRESSES: Nominations should be sent 

to Dawana J. Clark, Marketing Order 

Administration Branch, Fruit and 

Vegetable Programs, AMS, USDA, Unit 

155, 4700 River Road, Riverdale, MD 

20737: Telephone: (301) 734–5247; Fax: 

(301) 734–5275; E-mail: 

Dawana.Clark@ams.usda.gov. 

SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION: Section 

1308 of the 2002 Farm Bill requires the 

Secretary of Agriculture to establish and 

consult with the Board for the purpose 

of advising the Secretary regarding the 

establishment of quality and handling 

standards for all domestic and imported 

peanuts marketed in the United States. 

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Federal Register / Vol. 76, No. 105 / Wednesday, June 1, 2011 / Notices 31575 

The 2002 Farm Bill provides that the 

Board’s makeup will include three 

producers and three peanut industry 

representatives from States specified in 

each of the following producing regions: 

Southeast (Alabama, Georgia, and 

Florida); Southwest (Texas, Oklahoma, 

and New Mexico); and Virginia/Carolina 

(Virginia and North Carolina). 

The term ‘‘peanut industry 

representatives’’ includes, but is not 

limited to, representatives of shellers, 

manufacturers, buying points, and 

marketing associations and marketing 

cooperatives. The 2002 Farm Bill 

exempted the appointment of the Board 

from the requirements of the Federal 

Advisory Committee Act. 

USDA invites individuals, 

organizations, and groups affiliated with 

the categories listed above to nominate 

individuals for membership on the 

Board. Nominees sought by this action 

would fill two positions in the 

Southeast region; two positions in the 

Southwest region; and two positions in 

the Virginia/North Carolina region, one 

of which is currently vacant. 

Nominees should complete a Peanut 

Standards Board Background 

Information form and submit it to Mrs. 

Clark at the address provided in the 

‘‘Addresses’’ section above. Copies of 

this form may be obtained at the 

Internet site http://www.ams.usda.gov/ 

PeanutStandardsBoard, or from Mrs. 

Clark. USDA seeks a diverse group of 

members representing the peanut 

industry. 

Equal opportunity practices will be 

followed in all appointments to the 

Board in accordance with USDA 

policies. To ensure that the 

recommendations of the Board have 

taken into account the needs of the 

diverse groups within the peanut 

industry, membership shall include, to 

the extent practicable, individuals with 

demonstrated abilities to represent 

minorities, women, persons with 

disabilities, and limited resource 

agriculture producers. 

Authority: 7 U.S.C. 7958. 

Dated: May 24, 2011. 

Rayne Pegg, 

Administrator, Agricultural Marketing 

Service. 

[FR Doc. 2011–13499 Filed 5–31–11; 8:45 am] 

BILLING CODE 3410–02–P 

DEPARTMENT OF AGRICULTURE 

Agricultural Marketing Service 

[Document Number AMS: AMS–FV–08– 

0076] 

United States Standards for Grades of 

Frozen Onions 

AGENCY: Agricultural Marketing Service, 

USDA. 

ACTION: Notice and request for 

comments. 

SUMMARY: The Agricultural Marketing 

Service (AMS) of the Department of 

Agriculture (USDA) is soliciting 

comments on its proposal to create new 

United States Standards for Grades of 

Frozen Onions. USDA has received 

additional industry comments from 

several discussion drafts. The grade 

standards would provide a common 

language for trade, a means of 

measuring value in the marketing of 

frozen onions, and provide guidance in 

the effective utilization of frozen onions. 

DATES: Comments must be submitted on 

or before August 1, 2011. 

ADDRESSES: Written comments may be 

submitted to: Myron Betts, Processed 

Products Branch, Fruit and Vegetable 

Programs, Agricultural Marketing 

Service, U.S. Department of Agriculture, 

1400 Independence Avenue, SW., 

Washington, DC 20250; or by fax (202) 

690–1527; or via Internet at http:// 

www.regulations.gov. Comments should 

reference the date and page of this issue 

of the Federal Register. 

Please be advised that the identity of 

the individual or entities submitting the 

comments will be made public on the 

Internet via http://www.regulations.gov 

or http://www.ams.usda.gov/ 

processedinspection. Any comments 

received, regarding these proposed 

standards also will be posted on these 

sites. 

FOR FURTHER INFORMATION CONTACT: 

Contact Myron Betts, Processed 

Products Branch, Fruit and Vegetable 

Programs, Agricultural Marketing 

Service, U.S. Department of Agriculture, 

1400 Independence Avenue, SW., Room 

0709, So. Building; STOP 0247, 

Washington, DC 20250. Phone (202) 

720–5021; Fax: (202) 690–1527. Copies 

of the proposed U.S. Standards for 

Grades of Frozen Onions are available 

on the Internet at http:// 

www.ams.usda.gov/processedinspection 

or http://www.regulations.gov. 

SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION: Section 

203(c) of the Agricultural Marketing Act 

of 1946 (7 U.S.C. 1621–1627), as 

amended, directs and authorizes the 

Secretary of Agriculture ‘‘to develop and 

improve standards of quality, condition, 

quantity, grade and packaging and 

recommend and demonstrate such 

standards in order to encourage 

uniformity and consistency in 

commercial practices.’’ 

AMS is committed to carrying out this 

authority in a manner that facilitates the 

marketing of agricultural commodities 

and makes copies of official standards 

available upon request. Those United 

States standards for grades of processed 

fruits and vegetables no longer appear in 

the Code of Federal Regulations but are 

maintained by USDA/AMS/Fruit and 

Vegetable Programs at http:// 

www.ams.usda.gov/ 

processedinspection. 

AMS is proposing to establish the 

U.S. Standards for Grades of Frozen 

Onions using the procedures that appear 

in part 36, Title 7 of the Code of Federal 

Regulations (7 CFR part 36). 

Background 

AMS received a petition from 

American Frozen Food Institute (AFFI), 

requesting the development of new 

standards for frozen onions. The 

petitioners represent almost all of the 

processors of frozen onions in the 

United States. The petition provided 

information on style, sample size, and 

product description to develop the 

standards. 

AMS developed the grade standards 

for frozen onions to incorporate 

comments from AFFI members, 

published notices on the proposed grade 

standards in order to receive comments 

from interested parties (see 66 FR 

21116, 68 FR 11801, 68 FR 27010) as 

appropriate and circulated several 

discussion drafts between April 2007 

and June 2010. AMS received and 

evaluated samples of various styles of 

frozen onions to collect information on 

how to ascertain the grade of frozen 

onions. Comments from the trade 

association’s members were used to 

further develop the proposed standards. 

The comments referenced the style of 

whole onions and questioned the 

specific size ranges for whole peeled 

onions and the total allowance for peel 

in whole onions. Also the comments 

suggested that stem material, sprout 

material, and root material be included 

as major defects in the ‘‘core material’’ 

defect category. 

In addition, AMS met with members 

of AFFI at their annual meeting in 

February 2007 to discuss the comments. 

AFFI suggested that dark green units 

with dark green stripes across 50 

percent or more of the onion units 

would be considered a defect and under 

the style of whole onion units greater 

than 3⁄8 inch (10mm) or less than 3⁄4

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