Source: https://www.federalregister.gov/articles/2003/08/06/03-20008/processed-fruits-and-vegetables
Timestamp: 2015-09-03 02:35:21
Document Index: 427715023

Matched Legal Cases: ['§ 52', '§ 52', '§ 52', '§ 52', '§ 52', '§ 52', 'art 52', '§ 52', '§ 52', '§ 52']

Federal Register | Processed Fruits and Vegetables
Dates: Comments must be postmarked, courier dated, or sent via the Internet on or before September 5, 2003.
Comments Close: 09/05/2003
-46505 (2 pages)
Document Number: 03-20008
Shorter URL: https://federalregister.gov/a/03-20008 Related Topics
This proposed rule would revise the regulations governing inspection and certification for processed fruits, vegetables, and processed products. A projected fee increase ranging from 8 to 11 percent is proposed. These revisions are necessary in order to recover, as nearly as practicable, the costs of performing inspection services under the Agricultural Marketing Act of 1946 and to ensure the program's financial stability. Also affected are the fees charged to persons required to have inspections on imported commodities in accordance with the Agricultural Marketing Act of 1937.
Interested persons are invited to submit comments on the internet or written comments concerning this proposal. Comments must be sent in duplicate to the Office of the Branch Chief, Processed Products Branch, Fruit and Vegetable Programs, Agricultural Marketing Service, U.S. Department of Agriculture, STOP 0247, Washington, DC 20250-0247, telephone (202) 720-4693, or e-mail Terry.Bane@usda.gov. Comments should make reference to the date and page number of this issue of the Federal Register and will be made available for public inspection in the above office during regular business hours and on the Internet at http://www.ams.usda.gov/fv/ppbdocklist.htm.
AMS projects that program costs will increase to approximately $14.4 million in FY 2004 and $14.9 million in FY 2005, primarily from increases in employee salaries and benefits. An estimated 3.4 percent pay increase for employees effective January 2004 and January 2005 will increase program costs approximately $375,000 in FY 2004 and approximately $390,000 in FY 2005. Without a fee increase, the FY 2004 and FY 2005 end-of-year reserve balances will decline from $4.3 million to $3.6 million (3.0 months reserve), and $2.4 million (1.9 months reserve), respectively. The required 4 month level would be approximately $5.0 million. The proposed fee increase ranging from 8 to 11 percent will increase revenue by $1.3 million per year and will enable AMS to replenish program reserves to a 4 month level, approximately $5.0 million, for both FYs 2004 and 2005.
The purpose of the RFA is to fit regulatory actions to the scale of businesses subject to such actions in order that small businesses will not be unduly or disproportionately burdened. This action would increase user fee revenue generated under the lot inspection program and the year round and less than year round inspection programs by approximately $1.3 million annually. This action is authorized under the AMA of 1946 [see 7 U.S.C. 1622(h)] which provides that the Secretary of Agriculture assess and collect “such fees as will be reasonable and as nearly as may be to cover the costs of services rendered * * *”.
There are more than 1,250 users of PPB's lot, year round, and less than year round inspection services (including applicants who must meet import requirements
, inspections which amount to under 2 percent of all lot inspections performed). A small portion of these users are small entities under the criteria established by the Small Business Administration (13 CFR 121.201). There will be no additional reporting, recordkeeping, or other compliance requirements imposed upon small entities as a result of this rule. AMS has not identified any other federal rules which may duplicate, overlap, or conflict with this proposed rule.
Based on the Agency's analysis of increasing program costs, AMS is proposing to increase the fees relating to lot, year round, and less than year round inspection services.
For inspection services charged under § 52.42, overtime and holiday work would continue to be charged as provided in that section.
For inspection services charged on a contract basis under § 52.51 overtime work would also continue to be charged as provided in that section. The following fee schedule compares current fees and charges with proposed fees and charges for processed fruit and vegetable inspection as found in 7 CFR §§ 52.42-52.51. Unless otherwise provided for by regulation or written agreement between the applicant and the Administrator, the charges in the schedule of fees as found in § 52.42 are:
Current: $47.00/hr.
Proposed: $52.00/hr.
Charges for year-round in-plant inspection services on a contract basis as found in § 52.51 (c) are:
Current: $36.00/hr.
Proposed: $39.00/hr.
(2) For inspector assigned on less than a year-round basis:Each inspector:
Current: $48.00/hr.
Charges for less than year-round in-plant inspection services (four or more consecutive 40 hour weeks) on a contract basis as found in § 52.51 (d) are:
A thirty day comment period is provided for interested persons to comment on this proposed action. Thirty days is deemed appropriate because it's preferable to have any fee increase, if adopted, to be in place as close as possible to the beginning of the fiscal year, October 1, 2003.
List of Subjects in 7 CFR Part 52 Back to Top
2. In § 52.42, the figure “$47.00” is revised to read “$52.00”.
3. In § 52.50, the figure “$47.00” is revised to read “$52.00”.
4. In § 52.51, paragraph (c) (1), the figure “$36.00” is revised to read “$39.00”, in paragraph (c) (2), the figure “$48.00” is revised to read “$52.00”, and in paragraph (d) (1), the figure “$48.00” is revised to read “$52.00”.
[FR Doc. 03-20008 Filed 8-5-03; 8:45 am]