PROMOTING CALIFORNIA ALMONDS: This rule invites comments on revising the requirements regarding credit for promotion and advertising activities prescribed under the administrative rules and regulations of the California almond marketing order Under the terms of the regulations, handlers may receive credit towards their assessment obligation for certain expenditures for marketing promotion activities, including paid advertising. This rule would revise the requirements regarding the activities for which handlers may receive such credit.
The Board also recommended that a new credit-back activity be added to the regulations concerning use of the Internet. Several handlers have or are developing web-sites to promote their almonds. This is a rapidly developing communication medium becoming widely recognized as a valuable promotional tool. Thus, the Board believes handlers should be allowed credit for development and use of the Internet for promotional purposes. Because of the vast array of uses of the Internet, however, the Board believes guidelines should be implemented regarding crediting handlers' expenditures in this area. Thus, the Board recommended that handlers be allowed up to $5,000 credit against their assessment obligation for the development and use of a web-site on the Internet for advertising and public relations purposes. The changes are expected to make the promotion program more effective and efficient, clarify the regulations, and improve program administration. Comments must be received by July 12. For more information, contact: Martin Engeler, Assistant Regional Manager, (559) 487-5901, Fax: (559) 487-5906.-June 10, 1999, 64 FR 31153-57.
PORK PROMOTION: This proposed rule would decrease by sixteen-hundredths of a cent per pound the amount of the assessment per pound due on imported pork and pork products to reflect a decrease in the 1998 five-market average price for domestic barrows and gilts. This proposed action would bring the equivalent market value of the live animals from which such imported pork and pork products were derived in line with the market values of domestic porcine animals. This decrease is consistent with the decrease in the annual average price of domestic barrows and gilts for calendar year 1998.
The average annual market price decreased from $51.30 per hundredweight in 1997 to $31.82 per hundredweight in 1998, a decrease of about 38%. Adjusting the assessments on imported pork and pork products would result in an estimated decrease in assessments of $888,000 over a 12-month period. Assessments collected for 1998 were $3,834,656.These proposed changes will facilitate the continued collection of assessments on imported porcine animals, pork, and pork products. Comments must be received by July 12. For more information, contact: Ralph L. Tapp, Chief, Marketing Programs Branch, (202)720-1115. - June 10, 1999, 64 FR 31158-59.
MICHIGAN TART CHERRIES: This interim final rule revises the sampling techniques for whole and partial block diversions and increases the number of allowable partial block diversions under the Federal marketing order for tart cherries. These changes are intended to make the voluntary grower diversion program more flexible for grower participants. The order regulates the handling of tart cherries grown in the States of Michigan, New York, Pennsylvania, Oregon, Utah, Washington, and Wisconsin and is administered locally by the Cherry Industry Administrative Board. During the period 1993/94 through 1997/98, approximately 89% of the U.S. tart cherry crop, or 281.1 million pounds was processed annually. Of the 281.1 million pounds of tart cherries processed, 63% was frozen, 25% canned and 4% utilized for juice. The remaining 8% was dried or assembled into juice packs. In 1998, 37.7 million pounds of cherries were diverted in the orchard. Of that total, 16.3 million pounds were whole block diversions and 8.4 million were partial block diversions. The balance of the grower diversions were random row and in-orchard tank diversions.For more information, contact: Patricia A. Petrella or Kenneth G. Johnson, Marketing Order Administration Branch, F&V, AMS, USDA, (202) 720-2491.-June 7, 1999, 64 FR 30229-32.
CALIFORNIA RAISINS: USDA is adopting, effective July 7, as a final rule without change, the provisions of an interim final rule which established final volume regulation percentages for 1998-99 Zante Currant raisins covered under the Federal marketing order for California raisins. The volume regulation percentages are 85% free and 15% reserve. Free tonnage raisins may be sold by handlers to any market. Reserve raisins must be held in a pool for the account of the Committee and are disposed of through various programs authorized under the order. The volume regulation percentages are intended to help the industry manage its supply of Zante Currant raisins and strengthen market conditions. For more information, contact: Maureen T. Pello, Marketing Specialist, California Marketing Field Office, Fruit and Vegetable Programs, (559) 487-5901, Fax: (559) 487-5906; or George Kelhart, Technical Advisor, Marketing Order Administration Branch, (202) 720-2491, or Fax: (202) 720-5698. -June 7, 1999, 64 FR 30233-36.
NEBRASKA/IOWA MILK: This notice terminated the proceeding that was initiated to consider a proposal to suspend portions of the supply plant shipping requirements for the Nebraska-Western Iowa order for the months of March through September 1999. [See FOOD INSTITUTE REPORT, Mar. 22 page 11.]For more information, contact: Constance M. Brenner, Marketing Specialist, USDA/AMS/Dairy Programs, (202) 720-2357, e-mail address: connie__m__brenner@usda.gov. -June 7, 1999, 64 FR 30256-57.
CA NECTARINES/PEACHES: This rule invites comments on proposed revisions to the rules and regulations of the marketing orders for fresh nectarines and peaches grown in California pertaining to reporting requirements. This rule also announces the Agricultural Marketing Service's (AMS) intention to request a revision to the currently approved information collection requirements issued under the orders. The orders regulate the handling of nectarines and peaches grown in California and are administered locally by the Nectarine Administrative and Peach Commodity Committees. Under the orders, authority is provided for the committees to require handlers to file reports on the destinations of their shipments of fresh nectarines and peaches. This rule would require handlers to file such destination reports. Additional and timely information would thus be available to the committees and industry, facilitating improved decision making and program administration with regard to marketing research and development, and promotional activities. Comments must be received by August 6. For more information, contact: Terry Vawter, Marketing Specialist, or Kurt J. Kimmel, Regional Manager, California Marketing Field Office, Marketing Order Administration Branch, Fruit and Vegetable Programs,(559) 487-5901, Fax: (559) 487-5906; or George Kelhart, (202) 720-2491, Fax: (202) 720-5698. -June 7, 1999, 64 FR 30252-56.
BIOTECH COMMITTEE: USDA proposes to establish the Advisory Committee on Agricultural Biotechnology (ACAB). The Secretary of Agriculture is requesting nominations for qualified persons to serve as members of the ACAB. The Committee will advise the Secretary of Agriculture on the broad array of issues related to the expanding dimensions and importance of agricultural biotechnology. Written nominations must be received on or before July 7. For more information, contact: Michael Schechtman, Designated Federal Official, (202) 720-3817; fax (202) 690-4265; email michael.g.schechtman @usda.gov. -June 7, 1999, 64 FR 30297-98.
SAN DIEGO MEDFLY QUARANTINE LIFTED: USDA amended the Mediterranean fruit fly regulations by removing the quarantined area in San Diego County, CA, from the list of quarantined areas. The quarantine was necessary to prevent the spread of the Mediterranean fruit fly to noninfested areas of the United States. USDA determined that the Mediterranean fruit fly has been eradicated from this area and that restrictions on the interstate movement of regulated articles from this area are no longer necessary. This action relieves unnecessary restrictions on the interstate movement of regulated articles from this area. For more information, contact: Mr. Michael B. Stefan, Operations Officer, Domestic and Emergency Programs, PPQ, APHIS, 4700 River Road Unit 134, Riverdale, MD 20737-1236; (301) 734-8247; or e-mail: michael.b.stefan@usda.gov. - June 7, 1999, 64 FR 30213-14.
AUSTRALIAN MEAT INSPECTION OK: This is the official notice stating USDA's acceptance of Australia's Meat Safety Enhancement Program as an equivalent to the U.S. system. For more on this, see the accompanying Food Safety Issues, page 2.-June 7, 1999, 64 FR 30299-303.
ORGANIC CERTIFICATION: This rule from USDA establishes a voluntary, fee-for-service program, under the Agricultural Marketing Agreement Act of 1946, to verify that State and private organic certifying agencies comply with the appropriate requirements . This assessment program is established to enable organic certifying agencies to comply with European Union (EU) requirements beginning on June 30, 1999. It will verify that State and private organic certifying agencies are operating third-party certification systems in a consistent and reliable manner thereby, facilitating uninterrupted exports of U.S. organic agricultural commodities to the EU. This action also establishes fees for the services provided and announces that AMS has obtained, on an emergency basis, approval from the Office of Management and Budget (OMB) of the information collection requirements contained in this rule. Please note that this program does not provide for national standards governing the marketing of agricultural commodities or products as organically produced and therefore differs substantially from the proposed National Organic Program (NOP) under the Organic Foods Production Act of 1990. To be assessed under this program, an organic certifying agency would submit an application requesting such assessment from AMS and also submit to AMS for review and evaluation, a manual documenting the organic certifying agency's quality system and associated quality certification procedures used to certify organic producers and handlers of organically produced agricultural commodities (including those involved with wild crop harvesting) in accordance with applicable industry standards. According to the most complete data available, there are 11 State and 33 private organic certifying agencies currently providing organic certification for agricultural commodities in the United States. These certifying agencies provide service to approximately 4,000 organic producers and 600 handlers of agricultural commodities in the United States. Since the procedures used for assessing State and private organic certifying agencies are similar as those used to certify other types of product or system certification programs USDA has decided to charge the same hourly fees for assessing organic certifying agencies as are charged for services currently provided: ranging from $42.20 per hour for normal work weeks to $79.60 per hour for legal holidays. For more information, contact: Larry R. Meadows, Chief, Meat Grading and Certification (MGC) Branch, (202) 720-1246.-June 9, 1999, 64 FR 30861-69.
CANNED PINEAPPLE REVIEW: In response to requests by producers/exporters of canned pineapple and by a group of U.S. importers, the Department of Commerce is conducting an administrative review of the antidumping duty order on canned pineapple fruit from Thailand. This review covers five producers/exporters of the subject merchandise and the period of July 1, 1997, through June 30, 1998. Commerce has preliminarily determined that sales have been made below normal value. If these preliminary results are adopted in the final results, Commerce will instruct the U.S. Customs Service to assess antidumping duties based on the difference between the export price and the normal value. The following producers/exporters of canned pineapple fruit requested a review: Vita Food Factory (1989) Co. Ltd. (Vita); Kuiburi Fruit Canning Co. Ltd. (KFC); Siam Fruit Canning (1988) Co. Ltd. (SIFCO); Siam Food Products Co. Ltd. (SFP); The Thai Pineapple Public Co. Ltd. (TIPCO); Malee Sampran Public Co. Ltd. (Malee); and Dole Food Company Inc., Dole Packaged Foods Company and Dole Thailand Ltd. (collectively, Dole). In addition, U.S. importers Heartland Foods Inc., J.A. Kirsch Corp., Kompass Food Trading International, Mandi Foods, Inc., North East Marketing Co., Port Royal Sales, Ltd., Rykoff-Sexton, Inc., and Summit Import Corp., requested a review of Vita. Subsequently, Malee and Dole, respectively, withdrew their requests for review and thus were rescinded. As a result of this review, it was preliminarily determined that the following margins existed:
Margin Manufacturer/Exporter (percent) Siam Food Products Company Ltd 3.26 The Thai Pineapple Public Company, Ltd. 9.93 Kuiburi Fruit Canning Co. Ltd. 3.57 Siam Fruit Canning (1988) Co. Ltd. 3.35 Vita Food Factory (1989) Co. Ltd. 16.63
For more information, contact: Charles Riggle or Kris Campbell, AD/CVD Enforcement Group I, (202) 482-0650 or (202) 482-3813, respectively.-June 8, 1999, 64 FR 30476-81.
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