USDA Proposes Rule for Salable Quantities, Allotment Percentages of Spearmint Oil for 2018-2019

Date
April 06, 2018

The U.S. Department of Agriculture (USDA) invites comments on a proposed rule to establish the quantities of Scotch and Native spearmint oil produced in the Far West that handlers may purchase from producers, or handle on their behalf, during the 2018-2019 marketing year. The rule was recommended by the Spearmint Oil Administrative Committee.

The proposed rule would establish:

  • the salable quantity of Class 1 (Scotch) spearmint oil at 760,660 pounds with an allotment percentage of 35 percent, and
  • the salable quantity of Class 3 (Native) spearmint oil at 1,307,947 pounds with an allotment percentage of 53 percent.

The salable quantities and allotment percentages established by this rule would adequately satisfy the needs of the spearmint oil market while limiting the possibility of oversupply.

The proposed rule was published in the Federal Register April 6, 2018. Written comments must be received by June 5, 2018.

Comments should be posted on Regulations.gov or mailed to Docket Clerk, Marketing Order and Agreement Division, Specialty Crops Program, AMS, USDA, 1400 Independence Avenue SW, STOP 0237, Washington, DC 20250-0237; or faxed to (202) 720-8938. All comments in response to this proposed rule submitted before the deadline will be made available for public review and considered by USDA.

The Far West includes Washington State, Idaho, Oregon, Nevada north of 37th parallel and Utah west of the 111th meridian. More information about the marketing order regulating the Handling of Spearmint Oil Produced in the Far West is available on the 985 Spearmint Oil page on the AMS website.

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. The Agricultural Marketing Service 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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