[Federal Register Volume 75, Number 187 (Tuesday, September 28, 2010)]
[Notices]
[Page 59683]
From the Federal Register Online via the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]
[FR Doc No: 2010-24318]


-----------------------------------------------------------------------

DEPARTMENT OF AGRICULTURE

Foreign Agricultural Service


Trade Adjustment Assistance for Farmers

AGENCY: Foreign Agricultural Service, USDA.

ACTION: Notice.

-----------------------------------------------------------------------

    The Administrator for the Foreign Agricultural Service (FAS) has 
denied a petition (No. 2011014) for trade adjustment assistance for 
dried prunes filed under the fiscal year (FY) 2011 program by the Prune 
Bargaining Association. The petition was accepted for review by USDA on 
August 11, 2010.

SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION: To qualify under the program, Subtitle C of 
Title I of the Trade Act of 2002 (Pub. L. 107-210) states that 
petitions must demonstrate, using data for the most recent, full 
marketing year or full official marketing season, a greater than 15-
percent decline in at least one of the following factors: National 
average price, quantity of production, value of production, or cash 
receipts.
    According to the statute, it is also necessary for the petition to 
demonstrate that an increase in imports of like or directly competitive 
articles, during the same marketing period, contributed importantly to 
the decrease in one of the above factors for the agricultural 
commodity.
    All petitions were analyzed by USDA's Economic Research Service and 
reviewed by the Trade Adjustment Assistance for Farmers Program Review 
Committee, comprised of representatives from USDA's Office of the Chief 
Economist, Farm Service Agency, Agricultural Marketing Service, and 
FAS. After the review, the Administrator determined that the petition 
demonstrated the `greater than 15-percent decline' criterion, because 
it showed a 17.1-percent decline in the average annual price for 2009/
2010, when compared to the previous 3-year period. Additionally, the 
import data provided for the same time period showed a 54.2-percent 
increase, meeting the `increase in imports' criterion.
    However, while the petition was able to demonstrate that California 
dried prunes met the `greater than 15-percent decline' criterion and 
the `increase in imports' criterion, the import data, along with 
historical import trends showed no inverse correlation between prices 
and the quantity of imported dried prunes and prune juice, a necessary 
requirement under the program.
    As a result, it was determined that imports were not an important 
factor in determining the average annual price of California dried 
prunes in 2009/2010. Instead, ERS found that changes in domestic prune 
production, inventories, exports, and domestic consumption were the 
factors affecting dried prune grower prices in 2009/2010.
    Because the petition was unable to demonstrate that the decline in 
average annual price was importantly caused by an increase in imports, 
the Administrator was not able to certify the petition, making dried 
prune producers in California ineligible for trade adjustment 
assistance in FY 2011.

FOR FURTHER INFORMATION, CONTACT: Trade Adjustment Assistance for 
Farmers Program Staff, Office of Trade Programs, FAS, USDA; or by phone 
at (202) 720-0638, or (202) 690-0633; or by e-mail at: 
<a href="/cdn-cgi/l/email-protection#f5818794919094919f80868198909b81b5939486db80869194db929a83"><span class="__cf_email__" data-cfemail="bacec8dbdedfdbded0cfc9ced7dfd4cefadcdbc994cfc9dedb94ddd5cc">[email protected]</span></a>; or visit the TAA for Farmers' Web site 
at: http://www.fas.usda.gov/itp/taa.

    Dated: September 20, 2010.
John D. Brewer,
Administrator, Foreign Agricultural Service.
[FR Doc. 2010-24318 Filed 9-27-10; 8:45 am]
BILLING CODE 3410-10-P


</pre><script data-cfasync="false" src="/cdn-cgi/scripts/5c5dd728/cloudflare-static/email-decode.min.js"></script></body>
</html>