[Federal Register Volume 66, Number 85 (Wednesday, May 2, 2001)]
[Proposed Rules]
[Page 21888]
From the Federal Register Online via the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]
[FR Doc No: 01-10894]


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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. 66, No. 85 / Wednesday, May 2, 2001 / 
Proposed Rules

[[Page 21888]]



DEPARTMENT OF AGRICULTURE

Agricultural Marketing Service

7 CFR Part 29

[Docket No. TB-00-23]


Tobacco Inspection--Growers Referendum

AGENCY: Agricultural Marketing Service, USDA.

ACTION: Notice of referendum.

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SUMMARY: This document announces that a referendum will be conducted by 
mail during the period of June 4-8, 2001, for producers of flue-cured 
tobacco who sell their tobacco at auction in Fairmont-Fair Bluff, North 
Carolina, and Loris, South Carolina, to determine producer approval of 
the designation of the Fairmont-Fair Bluff and Loris tobacco markets as 
one consolidated auction market.

DATES: The referendum will be held June 4-8, 2001.

FOR FURTHER INFORMATION CONTACT: William Coats, Associate Deputy 
Administrator, Tobacco Programs, Agricultural Marketing Service, United 
States Department of Agriculture, P.O. Box 96456, Washington, DC 20090-
6456; telephone: (202) 205-0508.

SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION: Notice is hereby given of a mail referendum 
on the designation of a consolidated auction market at Fairmont-Fair 
Bluff, North Carolina, and Loris, South Carolina. Fairmont-Fair Bluff, 
North Carolina, was designated on April 6, 1995, (7 CFR 29.8001) as a 
flue-cured tobacco auction market and Loris, South Carolina, was 
designated on August 16, 1941, under the Tobacco Inspection Act (7 
U.S.C. 511 et seq.). Under this Act those markets have been receiving 
mandatory grading services from USDA.
    On September 6, 2000, an application was made to the Secretary of 
Agriculture to consolidate the designated markets of Fairmont-Fair 
Bluff, North Carolina, and Loris, South Carolina. The application, 
filed by sales supervisors on those markets, was made pursuant to the 
regulations promulgated under the Tobacco Inspection Act (7 CFR part 
29.1-29.3). On November 9, 2000, a public hearing was held in Tabor 
City, North Carolina, pursuant to the regulations. A Review Committee, 
established pursuant to 7 CFR 29.3(h)), has reviewed and considered the 
application, the testimony presented at the hearing, the exhibits 
received in evidence, and other available information. The Committee 
recommended to the Secretary that the application be granted and the 
Secretary approved the application on March 27, 2001.
    Before a new market can be officially designated, a referendum must 
be held to determine that a two-thirds majority of producers favor the 
designation. It is hereby determined that the referendum will be held 
by mail during the period of June 4-8, 2001. The purpose of the 
referendum is to determine whether farmers who sold their tobacco on 
the designated markets at Fairmont-Fair Bluff and Loris are in favor 
of, or opposed to, the designation of the consolidated market for the 
2001 and succeeding crop years. Accordingly, if a two-thirds majority 
of those tobacco producers voting in the referendum favor the 
consolidation, a new market will be designated as and will be called 
Fairmont-Fair Bluff-Loris.
    To be eligible to vote in the referendum a tobacco producer must 
have sold flue-cured tobacco on either the Fairmont-Fair Bluff, North 
Carolina, or Loris, South Carolina, auction markets during the 2000 
marketing season. Any farmer who believes he or she is eligible to vote 
in the referendum but has not received a mail ballot by June 4, 2001, 
should immediately contact William Coats at (202) 205-0508.
    The referendum will be held in accordance with the provisions for 
referenda of the Tobacco Inspection Act, as amended (7 U.S.C. 511d), 
and the regulations for such referendum set forth in 7 CFR 29.74.

    Dated: April 25, 2001.
Kenneth C. Clayton,
Acting Administrator, Agricultural Marketing Service.
[FR Doc. 01-10894 Filed 5-1-01; 8:45 am]
BILLING CODE 3410-02-P