The U.S. Department of Agriculture (USDA) issued a final rule on changes to the tart cherry federal marketing order requirements regarding subcommittee appointments. The final rule applies to the federal marketing order regulating tart cherries grown in the states of Michigan, New York, Pennsylvania, Oregon, Utah, Washington and Wisconsin.
The Cherry Industry Administrative Board recommended the changes to modify the composition of the subcommittee which reviews exemption requests by increasing the size of the subcommittee from three members and an alternate, to a maximum of five members. It will also add a five-year term limit to these appointments. The changes were issued to increase opportunities for subcommittee participation and promote industry confidence and trust in the subcommittee’s composition and function.
The final rule was published in the Federal Register on Nov. 19, 2020. The rule goes into effect Dec. 21, 2020.
More information about the marketing order is available on the Agricultural Marketing Service (AMS) 930 Tart Cherries webpage, the AMS Marketing Orders and Agreements webpage or by contacting the Marketing Order and Agreement Division at (202) 720-2491.
Authorized by the Agricultural Marketing Agreement Act of 1937, marketing orders are industry-driven programs that help fruit, vegetable and specialty crop producers and handlers achieve marketing success by leveraging their own funds to design and execute programs that they would not be able to do individually. AMS provides oversight to 29 fruit, vegetable and specialty crop marketing orders and agreements, which helps ensure fiscal accountability and program integrity.
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