[Federal Register Volume 68, Number 120 (Monday, June 23, 2003)]
[Proposed Rules]
[Page 37102]
From the Federal Register Online via the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]
[FR Doc No: 03-15825]
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DEPARTMENT OF AGRICULTURE
Agricultural Marketing Service
7 CFR Part 1240
[Docket No. FV-03-703]
Honey Research, Promotion, and Consumer Information Order;
Continuance Referendum
AGENCY: Agricultural Marketing Service, Agriculture.
ACTION: Referendum order.
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SUMMARY: This document directs that a referendum be conducted among
eligible producers of honey and importers of honey or honey products to
determine whether they favor continuance of the Honey Research,
Promotion, and Consumer Information Order (Order).
DATES: The referendum will be conducted from July 25, 2003, through
August 22, 2003. To vote in this referendum, producers and importers
must have been producing honey or importing honey or honey products
during the period from January 1, 2001, through December 31, 2002.
ADDRESSES: Copies of the Order may be obtained from: Referendum Agent,
Research and Promotion Branch (RP), Fruit and Vegetable Programs (FV),
AMS, USDA, Stop 0244, Room 2535-S, 1400 Independence Avenue, SW.,
Washington, DC 20250-0244.
FOR FURTHER INFORMATION CONTACT: Kathie Birdsell, RP, FV, AMS, USDA,
Stop 0244, Room 2535-S, 1400 Independence Avenue, SW., Washington, DC
20250-0244, telephone 888-720-9917 (toll free), fax 202-205-2800, e-
mail [email protected].
SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION: Pursuant to the Honey Research, Promotion,
and Consumer Information Act, as amended (Act) (7 U.S.C. 4601-4613), it
is hereby directed that a referendum be conducted to ascertain whether
continuance of the Order is favored by producers of honey and importers
of honey or honey products. The Order is authorized under the Act.
The representative period for establishing voter eligibility for
the referendum shall be the period from January 1, 2001, through
December 31, 2002. Persons who are producers of honey or importers of
honey or honey products at the time of the referendum and during the
representative period are eligible to vote. Persons who received an
exemption from assessments for the entire representative period are
ineligible to vote. The referendum shall be conducted by mail ballot
from July 25, 2003, through August 22, 2003.
Section 13 of the Act provides that the Department of Agriculture
(Department) shall conduct a referendum every five years or when 10
percent or more of the eligible voters petition the Secretary of
Agriculture to hold a referendum to determine if persons subject to
assessment favor continuance of the Order. Previous continuance
referenda were conducted in 1991, 1996, and 2002. On February 10, 2003,
a petition was filed containing the requisite number of eligible voter
signatures to call for another continuance referendum.
Sections 12(b)(1)(A) and (B) of the Act provide that the Department
shall continue the Order if continuance of the Order is approved by a
majority of the producers and importers voting in the referendum and
that the producers and importers comprising this majority produce or
import not less than 50 percent of the quantity of the honey or honey
products produced or imported during the representative period by those
voting in the referendum.
In accordance with the Paperwork Reduction Act of 1995 (44 U.S.C.
chapter 35), the referendum ballot has been approved by the Office of
Management and Budget (OMB) and assigned OMB No. 0581-0093. It has been
estimated that there are approximately 3,290 producers and importers
who will be eligible to vote in the referendum. It will take an average
of 15 minutes for each voter to read the voting instructions and
complete the referendum ballot.
Referendum Order
Kathie M. Birdsell and Margaret B. Irby, RP, FV, AMS, USDA, Stop
0244, Room 2535-S, 1400 Independence Avenue, SW., Washington, DC 20250-
0244, are designated as the referendum agents to conduct this
referendum. The referendum procedures (7 CFR 1240.200 through
1240.207), which were issued pursuant to the Act, shall be used to
conduct the referendum.
The referendum agents will mail the ballots to be cast in the
referendum and voting instructions to all known producers and importers
prior to the first day of the voting period. Persons who are producers
or importers at the time of the referendum and during the
representative period are eligible to vote. Persons who received an
exemption from assessments during the entire representative period are
ineligible to vote. Any eligible producer or importer who does not
receive a ballot should contact the referendum agents no later than one
week before the end of the voting period. Ballots must be received by
the referendum agents on or before August 22, 2003, in order to be
counted.
List of Subjects in 7 CFR Part 1240
Advertising, Agricultural research, Honey, Imports, Reporting and
recordkeeping requirements.
Authority: 7 U.S.C. 4601-4613 and 7 U.S.C. 7401.
Dated: June 18, 2003.
A.J. Yates,
Administrator, Agricultural Marketing Service.
[FR Doc. 03-15825 Filed 6-20-03; 8:45 am]
BILLING CODE 3410-02-P