[Federal Register: April 21, 2004 (Volume 69, Number 77)]
[Proposed Rules]
[Page 21439]
From the Federal Register Online via GPO Access [wais.access.gpo.gov]
[DOCID:fr21ap04-12]
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Proposed Rules
Federal Register
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This section of the FEDERAL REGISTER contains notices to the public of
the proposed issuance of rules and regulations. The purpose of these
notices is to give interested persons an opportunity to participate in
the rule making prior to the adoption of the final rules.
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[[Page 21439]]
DEPARTMENT OF AGRICULTURE
Agricultural Marketing Service
7 CFR Part 1216
[Docket No. FV-04-701]
Peanut Promotion, Research and Information Order; Continuance
Referendum
AGENCY: Agricultural Marketing Service, Agriculture.
ACTION: Notice of a Continuance Referendum.
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SUMMARY: This document directs that a referendum be conducted among the
eligible producers of peanuts to determine whether they favor
continuance of the Peanut Promotion, Research and Information Order
(Order).
DATES: This referendum will be conducted from May 10, 2004 through June
11, 2004. To vote in this referendum, producers must have paid
assessments on peanuts produced during the representative period from
October 1, 2002 to April 30, 2004.
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, telephone (888) 720-9917 (toll free), fax
(202) 205-2800, e-mail deborah.simmons@usda.gov.
SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION: Pursuant to the Commodity Promotion,
Research and Information Act of 1996 (7 U.S.C. 7411-7425) (Act), it is
hereby directed that a referendum be conducted to ascertain whether
continuance of the Order is favored by producers of peanuts. The Order
is authorized under the Act.
The representative period for establishing voter eligibility for
the referendum shall be the period from October 1, 2002 to April 30,
2004. Persons who are producers of peanuts and paid assessments 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 from May 10, 2004 through June
11, 2004.
Section 518 of the Act authorizes continuance referenda. Under
section 1216.82 of the order, 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. The Department would
continue the Order if continuance of the Order is approved by a simple
majority of the producers 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 17,000 producers 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
Deborah S. Simmons 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 1216.100 through 1216.107,
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 prior to the
first day of the voting period. Persons who are producers and paid
assessments 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 who does not receive a ballot should
contact the referendum agent no later than one week before the end of
the voting period. Ballots must be received by the referendum agent
after May 10, 2004 but before June 11, 2004, in order to be counted.
Dated: April 19, 2004.
A.J. Yates,
Administrator, Agricultural Marketing Service.
[FR Doc. 04-9134 Filed 4-19-04; 1:01 pm]
BILLING CODE 3410-02-P