The U.S. Department of Agriculture (USDA) Agricultural Marketing Service (AMS) invites comments on a recommendation by the American Pecan Council to establish assessment rates prescribed under the marketing order regulating the handling of pecans grown in the United States.
The council would use the assessments paid by pecan handlers to administer data collection and research and promotion activities under the federal marketing order for pecans. The marketing order took effect Aug. 5, 2016, after pecan producers in 15 States voted their support.
The proposed action would establish assessment rates for the 2016-17 and subsequent fiscal years at $0.03 per pound for improved varieties and at $0.02 per pound for native and seedling varieties and for substandard pecans handled under the marketing order.
The proposed rule for assessments was published in the Federal Register on June 13, 2017.
Written comments are due by July 13, 2017. Submit written comments online at Regulations.gov or send them by mail to the Docket Clerk, Marketing Order and Agreement Division, Specialty Crops Program, AMS, USDA, 1400 Independence Avenue SW, STOP 0237, Washington, DC 20250-0237, or by fax to (202) 720-8938.
All comments received by the deadline will be made available for public review and will be considered before formulating a final rule that would implement the assessment rate.
Information about the American Pecan Council is available on the Pecan Marketing Order page of the AMS website. More information about federal marketing orders is available on the Marketing Orders and Agreements page of the AMS website or from the Marketing Order and Agreement Division by phone at (863) 324-3375.
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