Source: https://www.federalregister.gov/documents/2011/11/09/2011-29032/domestic-dates-produced-or-packed-in-riverside-county-ca-proposed-amendments-to-marketing-order-987
Timestamp: 2017-10-17 08:46:09
Document Index: 234313706

Matched Legal Cases: ['§\u2009987', '§\u2009987', '§\u2009987', '§\u2009987', '§\u2009987', '§\u2009987', '§\u2009987', '§\u2009987', '§\u2009987', '§\u2009987', '§\u2009987', '§\u2009987', '§\u2009987', '§\u2009987', 'art 900']

Federal Register :: Domestic Dates Produced or Packed in Riverside County, CA; Proposed Amendments to Marketing Order 987 and Referendum Order
Domestic Dates Produced or Packed in Riverside County, CA; Proposed Amendments to Marketing Order 987 and Referendum Order
A Proposed Rule by the Agricultural Marketing Service on 11/09/2011
The referendum will be conducted from January 16, 2012, through February 3, 2012. The representative period for the purpose of the referendum is October 1, 2010, through September 30, 2011.
69678-69685 (8 pages)
Order Amending the Order Regulating the Handling of Dates Produced or Packed in Riverside County, California 1
https://www.federalregister.gov/d/2011-29032 https://www.federalregister.gov/d/2011-29032
This rule proposes seven amendments to Marketing Agreement and Order No. 987 (order), which regulates the handling of domestic dates produced or packed in Riverside County, California, and provides growers with the opportunity to vote in a referendum to determine if they favor the changes. Five amendments were proposed by the California Date Administrative Committee (CDAC or committee), which is responsible for local administration of the order. These proposed amendments are intended to improve administration of and compliance with the order and reflect current industry practices.
In addition to the committee's proposals, the Agricultural Marketing Service (AMS) proposes two amendments that would provide for a continuance referendum every six years, and would establish term limits of up to six consecutive years for committee members. These proposals would allow producers to indicate continued support for the order and provide all interested industry members the opportunity to serve on the committee.
Martin Engeler, Senior Marketing Specialist, Marketing Order and Agreement Division, Fruit and Start Printed Page 69679Vegetable Programs, AMS, USDA; Telephone: (559) 487-5110, Fax: (559) 487-5906, or Kathleen M. Finn, Rulemaking Team Program Manager, Marketing Order Administration Branch, Fruit and Vegetable Programs, AMS, USDA, 1400 Independence Avenue SW., Stop 0237, Washington, DC 20250-0237; Telephone: (202) 720-2491, Fax: (202) 720-8938, or Email: Martin.Engeler@ams.usda.gov or Kathy.Finn@ams.usda.gov.
A proposed rule soliciting comments on the proposed amendments was issued on June 6, 2011, and published in the Federal Register on June 14, 2011 (76 FR 34618). No comments were received. AMS will conduct a producer referendum to determine support for the proposed amendments. If appropriate, a final rule will then be issued to effectuate the amendments favored by producers in the referendum.
The committee's proposed amendments would: (1) Authorize the committee to recommend regulatory exemptions for certain date varieties if market conditions warrant such exemption. Currently the order only provides for exemptions for handlers who sell dates directly to consumers in limited market outlets; (2) Increase the terms of office for committee members and alternates from two to three years; (3) Authorize the committee to conduct business by means of telephone or video conference technologies. Currently all committee meetings must be assembled; (4) Authorize the committee to collect interest charges and late fees on delinquent assessment payments. Currently, the order does not provide authority for the collection of interest and late fees; and (5) Authorize the committee to build and maintain an operating monetary reserve not to exceed one year's average expenses. Currently, the committee is authorized to maintain an operating reserve not to exceed 50 percent of an average year's expenses.
To address this issue, the committee proposed amending the order by temporarily suspending the varieties currently produced in minimal quantities from inclusion in § 987.5—Dates. However, AMS believes that the committee would have greater flexibility if it were authorized to recommend regulatory exemptions for varieties produced, with the approval of the Secretary, through the informal rulemaking process. In this way, any future changes in production levels or other market considerations for any variety could be addressed through informal rulemaking.Start Printed Page 69680
Section 987.52 authorizes the committee to exempt handlers of dates for sale in certain market outlets from regulation if those sales are unlikely to interfere with the objectives of the order. However, the section does not authorize the exemption of dates sold into regular markets by variety. Such authority would allow the committee to recommend, subject to approval of the Secretary, that certain varieties be exempted from the order's regulations through informal rulemaking. Such authority should be broad enough to include exemptions for a variety of reasons, including periods of minimal production. This flexibility would allow the committee to respond to changes in the production and marketing environment in a timely manner. As production and market conditions change, the committee could recommend lifting the regulatory exemptions, as appropriate.
For the reasons stated above, it is proposed that § 987.52, Exemption, be amended by designating the current text of that section as paragraph (a) and adding a new paragraph (b) providing authority for the committee to recommend that any variety may be exempt from regulations established pursuant to §§ 987.39 through 987.51, §§ 987.61 through 987.68, and § 987.72.
For the reasons stated above, it is proposed that § 987.31, Procedure, be amended by: Revising paragraph (d) to provide for participation in assembled Start Printed Page 69681committee meetings as well as telephone, video conference, or other types of meetings; providing the committee chairperson with discretion to determine the appropriate meeting format and whether members may participate in assembled meetings by telephone or other means; clarifying that members attending assembled meetings by alternate means of communication retain the same voting privileges they would otherwise have; and removing the requirement that votes at assembled meetings shall be cast in person. Paragraph (e) of § 987.31 would be amended by removing the words “or telegram.”
The order was last amended on February 1, 1978 (43 FR 4253). Since that time, USDA has recommended that producers of commodities regulated under federal marketing orders be offered the opportunity to participate in periodic continuance referenda. The California date marketing order does not currently provide for continuance referenda. Therefore, it is recommended that § 987.82—Effective time, suspension, or termination, be amended by redesignating paragraph (b)(3) as paragraph (b)(4) and adding a new paragraph (b)(3) to provide that a continuance referendum shall be conducted six years after the Start Printed Page 69682amendment becomes effective and every six years thereafter.
In paragraph (b)(2) of § 987.82, the word “growers,” which appears in the heading and in the text of that paragraph, should be replaced with the word “producers” to conform with the definition provided in § 987.7 of the order; and the word “he,” in reference to the Secretary, should be replaced by the words “he or she” to modernize the section.
As explained under Proposal number 2 above, the committee has proposed to amend the order to provide for three-year terms of office. AMS is proposing to further amend the order to specify that members may serve up to two consecutive three-year terms, not to exceed six consecutive years. This proposal for a limitation on tenure would not apply to alternates. Once a member has served on the committee for two consecutive terms, or six years, the member would be required to step down for at least one year before being eligible to serve as a member again. The member could serve as an alternate during that time.
Currently, paragraph (a) of § 987.124 specifies that nominations materials are provided to producers and producer-handlers no later than June 15 of each even numbered year. If the order is amended to provide for three-year terms of office as explained in Proposal number 2 above, nominations would be conducted every three years, rather than every two years. Therefore, § 987.124(a) should be changed to specify that ballot materials are provided to producers and producer handlers no later than June 15 of every third year.
Paragraph (a)(1) of § 987.124 currently specifies that the ballots should contain the list of incumbents who are willing to continue serve on the committee. As explained above, some incumbents may no longer be eligible to serve in their positions if the proposal to add term limits is adopted. Therefore, § 987.124(a)(1) should be revised to clarify that the names of incumbents who are both willing and eligible to continue serving should be listed on the ballots.
The amendments proposed by the committee would authorize the committee to recommend regulatory exemptions for dates by variety, provide for three year terms of office for committee members, provide for committee meetings by telephone and other means of communication, authorize an operating monetary reserve not to exceed one year's average expenses, and authorize the collection of interest and late payment charges on delinquent assessment payments.
The committee's proposed amendments were unanimously recommended at public meetings held Start Printed Page 69683on October 30, 2008; October 29, 2009; and February 25, 2010. The committee believes that each of their proposed amendments would benefit producers and handlers of all sizes.
A proposed rule concerning this action was published in the Federal Register on June 14, 2011 (76 FR 34618). Copies of the rule were mailed or sent via facsimile to all committee members and date handlers. Finally, the rule was made available through the Internet by USDA and the Office of the Federal Register. A 30-day comment period ending July 14, 2011, was provided to allow interested persons to respond to the proposal. No comments were received in response to the proposal.
The findings and conclusions and general findings and determinations included in the proposed rule set forth in the June 14, 2011, issue of the Federal Register are hereby approved and adopted.
Annexed hereto and made a part hereof is the document entitled “Order Amending the Order Regulating the Handling of Dates Produced or Packed in Riverside County, California.” This document has been decided upon as the detailed and appropriate means of effectuating the foregoing findings and Start Printed Page 69684conclusions. It is hereby ordered, That this entire rule be published in the Federal Register.
It is hereby directed that a referendum be conducted in accordance with the procedure for the conduct of referenda (7 CFR part 900.400-407) to determine whether the annexed order amending the order regulating the handling of dates produced or packed in Riverside County, California is approved by growers, as defined under the terms of the order, who during a representative period were engaged in the production of dates in the production area. The representative period for the conduct of such referendum is hereby determined to be October 1, 2010, through September 30, 2011.
The agents of the Secretary to conduct such referendum are designated to be Terry Vawter and Jeff Smutny, California Marketing Field Office, Marketing Order Administration Branch, Fruit and Vegetable Programs, AMS, USDA; Telephone: (559) 487-5901, or Email: Terry.Vawter@ams.usda.gov or Jeffrey.Smutny@ams.usda.gov, respectively.
4. The marketing agreement and order, as amended, and as hereby proposed to be further amended, prescribe, insofar as practicable, such different terms applicable to different parts of the production area as are necessary to give due recognition to the differences in the production and marketing of dates produced or packed in the production area; and
It is therefore ordered, That on and after the effective date hereof, all handling of dates grown or packed in Riverside County, California shall be in conformity to, and in compliance with, the terms and conditions of the said order as hereby proposed to be amended as follows:
The provisions of the proposed marketing order amending the order contained in the proposed rule issued by the Administrator on June 6, 2011, and published in the Federal Register (76 FR 34618) on June 14, 2011, will be and are the terms and provisions of this order amending the order and are set forth in full herein.
(e) The Committee may vote upon any proposition by mail, or by telephone when confirmed in writing within two weeks, upon due notice and full and identical explanation to all members, including alternates acting as members, but any such action shall not be Start Printed Page 69685considered valid unless unanimously approved.
(2) When favored by producers. The Secretary shall terminate the provisions of this part at the end of any crop year whenever he or she finds that such termination is favored by a majority of the producers of dates who, during that crop year, have been engaged in the production for market of dates in the area of production: Provided, That such majority have, during such period, produced for market more than 50 percent of the volume of such dates produced for market within said area; but such termination shall be effective only if announced on or before August 1 of the then current crop year.
[FR Doc. 2011-29032 Filed 11-8-11; 8:45 am]