The U.S. Department of Agriculture (USDA) is announcing a proposed volume regulation for the 2017-18 crop year under the marketing order for tart cherries grown in seven tart cherry producing states.
The proposed volume regulation would:
- Establish a free percentage of 69 percent and restricted percentage of 31 percent for the current crop year under the marketing order regulating handling of tart cherries grown in the states of Michigan, New York, Pennsylvania, Oregon, Utah, Washington, and Wisconsin.
- Establish the volume of tart cherries handlers can place into the market.
Free percentage cherries could be used to supply any available market, including domestic markets for pie filling, water packed and frozen tart cherries. Restricted percentage cherries must be either diverted in orchard or at the processing plant, sold as exports, used for new product development used for new market development or held in reserve. Cherries held in reserve would not be counted as free inventory and would remain in reserve until there is an industry request for a release.
USDA is issuing this proposed rule based on a recommendation from the Cherry Industry Administrative Board. The proposed rule for this action was published in the Federal Register May 11, 2018. Written comments must be received by June 11, 2018.
Post comments concerning the proposed change at www.regulations.gov or mail them to Docket Clerk, Marketing Order and Agreement Division, Specialty Crops Program, Agricultural Marketing Service (AMS), USDA, 1400 Independence Avenue SW, STOP 0237, Washington, DC 20250-0237; or fax them to (202) 720-8938.
All comments to this proposed rule submitted by the deadline will be made available for public review and considered before any reporting requirements or information collection are finalized.
Information about the marketing order is available on AMS’ 930 Tart Cherries page. More information about federal marketing orders is available on the Marketing Orders and Agreements page of the AMS website 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 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 crops marketing orders and agreements, which helps ensure fiscal accountability and program integrity.
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