[Federal Register Volume 70, Number 85 (Wednesday, May 4, 2005)]
[Notices]
[Pages 23088-23089]
From the Federal Register Online via the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]
[FR Doc No: 05-8829]
-----------------------------------------------------------------------
DEPARTMENT OF AGRICULTURE
Agricultural Marketing Service
[No. LS-05-05]
Lamb Promotion, Research, and Information Program
AGENCY: Agricultural Marketing Service, USDA.
ACTION: Notice.
-----------------------------------------------------------------------
SUMMARY: The Agricultural Marketing Service (AMS) is announcing that
lamb producers, feeders, seedstock producers, and first handlers of
lamb and lamb products voting in a national referendum from January 31,
2005, through February 28, 2005, have approved the continuation of the
Lamb Promotion, Research, and Information Order (Order).
FOR FURTHER INFORMATION CONTACT: Kenneth R. Payne, Chief; Marketing
Programs Branch, Livestock and Seed Program; Agricultural Marketing
Service (AMS), USDA, Room 2638-S; STOP 0251; 1400 Independence Avenue,
SW.; Washington, DC 20250-0251, telephone number 202/720-1115, fax
number 202/720-1125, or by e-mail at: [email protected].
SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION: Pursuant to the Commodity Promotion,
Research, and Information Act of 1996 (Act) (7 U.S.C. 7411-7425), the
Department of Agriculture conducted a referendum from January 31, 2005,
through February 28, 2005, among eligible lamb producers, feeders,
seedstock producers, and first handlers of lamb and lamb products to
determine if the Order would continue to be effective. A final rule was
published in the December 27, 2004, Federal Register (69 FR 22570)
outlining the procedures for conducting the referendum.
Of the 3,490 valid ballots cast, 2,807 (80 percent) favored and 683
(20
[[Page 23089]]
percent) opposed the continuation of the Order. Additionally, of those
persons who cast valid ballots in the referendum, those who favored the
Order accounted for 84 percent of the total production voted, and those
opposed account for 16 percent of the total production voted. For the
program to continue, it must have been approved by at least a majority
of those persons voting for approval who were engaged in the
production, feeding, or slaughter of lambs during calendar year 2004
and who also represent a majority of the volume of lambs produced, fed,
or slaughtered.
Therefore, based on the referendum results, the Secretary of
Agriculture has determined that the required majority of eligible
voters who voted in the nationwide referendum from January 31, 2005,
through February 29, 2005, voted to continue the Order. As a result,
the Lamb Checkoff Program will continue to be funded by a mandatory
assessment on producers, seedstock producers (breeders), feeders, and
exporters at the rate of one-half cent ($.005) per pound when live
ovine animals are sold. The first handler, primarily packers, will pay
an additional $.30 cents per head on ovine animals purchased for
slaughter. Importers are not assessed.
In accordance with Paperwork Reduction Act (44 U.S.C. Chapter 35),
the information collection requirements have been approved under OMB
number 0581-0227.
State Referendum Results
[January 31, 2005, through February 28, 2005]
----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Votes Volume voted
State ---------------------------------------------------
Yes No Yes No
----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Alabama..................................................... 4 1 1,726 28
California.................................................. 121 13 938,954 15,290
Colorado.................................................... 85 21 1,145,615 32,640
Idaho....................................................... 90 15 165,453 47,423
Illinois.................................................... 77 27 10,097 6,736
Indiana..................................................... 79 14 9,422 1,360
Iowa........................................................ 161 52 456,999 53,520
Kansas...................................................... 45 22 11,155 21,163
Kentucky.................................................... 44 7 5,257 577
Maryland.................................................... 9 3 1,090 18,747
Massachusetts............................................... 6 2 324 4,110
Michigan.................................................... 126 10 28,562 3,570
Minnesota................................................... 161 40 65,332 15,325
Missouri.................................................... 65 12 10,090 2,824
Montana..................................................... 303 96 208,964 54,740
N. Carolina................................................. 27 1 2,429 195
N. Dakota................................................... 59 19 29,384 17,940
Nebraska.................................................... 42 23 19,520 9,312
Nevada...................................................... 8 5 20,977 5,187
New Hampshire............................................... 11 1 583 300
New Mexico.................................................. 38 5 70,898 8,220
New York.................................................... 70 11 12,258 2,793
Ohio........................................................ 158 43 28,952 11,213
Oklahoma.................................................... 18 11 2,335 9,226
Oregon...................................................... 68 17 44,483 13,227
Pennsylvania................................................ 54 15 8,408 22,093
S. Dakota................................................... 148 91 85,167 132,898
Tennessee................................................... 54 2 3,137 125
Texas....................................................... 217 26 270,713 219,081
Utah........................................................ 73 7 136,917 8,055
Vermont..................................................... 17 1 2,406 350
Virginia.................................................... 48 9 5,389 1,093
West Virginia............................................... 70 5 10,095 544
Wisconsin................................................... 58 16 11,903 5,325
Wyoming..................................................... 99 39 236,568 54,721
Alaska, Arizona, Arkansas, Connecticut, Delaware, Florida, 94 1 160,352 20
Georgia, Hawaii, Louisiana, Maine, Mississippi, New Jersey,
Puerto Rico, Rhode Island, South Carolina, and Washington
\1\........................................................
--------------
National Totals......................................... 2,807 683 4,221,914 799,971
----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
\1\ To ensure the confidentiality of the voting process, the results of States in which there were not at least
3 votes in total with a minimum of one vote in each category are combined for the purpose of this report.
Authority: 7 U.S.C. 7411-7425.
Dated: April 28, 2005.
Kenneth C. Clayton,
Acting Administrator, Agricultural Marketing Service.
[FR Doc. 05-8829 Filed 5-3-05; 8:45 am]
BILLING CODE 3410-02-P