[Federal Register: January 18, 2007 (Volume 72, Number 11)]
[Rules and Regulations]
[Page 2173-2177]
From the Federal Register Online via GPO Access [wais.access.gpo.gov]
[DOCID:fr18ja07-3]
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DEPARTMENT OF AGRICULTURE
Agricultural Marketing Service
7 CFR Part 989
[Docket No. AMS-FV-06-0183; FV06-989-2 FIR]
Raisins Produced From Grapes Grown in California; Final Free and
Reserve Percentages for 2005-06 Crop Natural (Sun-Dried) Seedless
Raisins
AGENCY: Agricultural Marketing Service, USDA.
ACTION: Final rule.
-----------------------------------------------------------------------
SUMMARY: The Department of Agriculture (USDA) is adopting, as a final
rule, without change, an interim final rule that established final
volume regulation percentages for 2005-06 crop Natural (sun-dried)
Seedless (NS) raisins covered under the Federal marketing order for
California raisins (order). The order regulates the handling of raisins
produced from grapes grown in California and is locally administered by
the Raisin Administrative Committee (Committee). The volume regulation
percentages are 82.50 percent free and 17.50 percent reserve. The
percentages are intended to help stabilize raisin supplies and prices,
and strengthen market conditions.
DATES: Effective Date: February 20, 2007. The volume regulation
percentages apply to acquisitions of NS raisins from the 2005-06 crop
until the reserve raisins from that crop are disposed of under the
marketing order.
FOR FURTHER INFORMATION CONTACT: Rose M. Aguayo, Marketing Specialist,
or Kurt Kimmel, Regional Manager, California Marketing Field Office,
Marketing Order Administration Branch, Fruit and Vegetable Programs,
AMS, USDA; Telephone: (559) 487-5901; Fax: (559) 487-5906; or E-mail:
Rose.Aguayo@usda.gov or Kurt.Kimmel@usda.gov.
Small businesses may request information on complying with this
regulation by contacting Jay Guerber, Marketing Order Administration
Branch, Fruit and Vegetable Programs, AMS, USDA, 1400 Independence
Avenue, SW., STOP 0237, Washington DC 20250-0237; Telephone: (202) 720-
2491; Fax: (202) 720-8938; or E-mail: Jay.Guerber@usda.gov.
SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION: This rule is issued under Marketing
Agreement and Order No. 989 (7 CFR part 989), both as amended,
regulating the handling of raisins produced from grapes grown in
California, hereinafter referred to as the ``order.'' The order is
effective under the Agricultural Marketing Agreement Act of 1937, as
amended (7 U.S.C. 601-674), hereinafter referred to as the ``Act.''
USDA is issuing this rule in conformance with Executive Order
12866.
This rule has been reviewed under Executive Order 12988, Civil
Justice Reform. Under the order provisions now in effect, final free
and reserve percentages may be established for raisins acquired by
handlers during the crop year. This rule continues in effect the action
that established final free and reserve percentages for NS raisins for
the 2005-06 crop year, which began August 1, 2005, and ended July 31,
2006. This rule will not preempt any State or local laws, regulations,
or policies, unless they present an irreconcilable conflict with this
rule.
The Act provides that administrative proceedings must be exhausted
before parties may file suit in court. Under section 608c(15)(A) of the
Act, any handler subject to an order may file with USDA a petition
stating that the order, any provision of the order, or any obligation
imposed in connection with the order is not in accordance with law and
request a modification of the order or to be exempted therefrom. A
handler is afforded the opportunity for a hearing on the petition.
After the hearing USDA would rule on the petition. The Act provides
that the district court of the United States in any district in which
the handler is an inhabitant, or has his or her principal place of
business, has jurisdiction to review USDA's ruling on the petition,
provided an action is filed not later than 20 days after the date of
the entry of the ruling.
This rule continues in effect the action that established final
volume regulation percentages for 2005-06 crop NS raisins covered under
the order. The volume regulation percentages are 82.50 percent free and
17.50 percent reserve and were established through an interim final
rule published on May 23, 2006 (71 FR 29567). 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. For example, reserve
raisins may be sold by the Committee to handlers for free use or to
replace part of the free tonnage raisins they exported; used in
diversion programs; carried over as a hedge against a short crop; or
disposed of in other outlets not competitive with those for free
tonnage raisins, such as government purchase, distilleries, or animal
feed.
The volume regulation percentages are intended to help stabilize
raisin supplies and prices, and strengthen market conditions. The
Committee unanimously recommended final percentages on January 26,
2006, and further justified its recommendation on March 16, 2006.
Computation of Trade Demand
Section 989.54 of the order prescribes procedures and time frames
to be followed in establishing volume regulation. This includes
methodology used to calculate percentages. Pursuant to Sec. 989.54(a)
of the order, the Committee met on August 15, 2005, to review shipment
and inventory data, and other matters relating to the supplies of
raisins of all varietal types. The Committee computed a trade demand
for each varietal type for which a free tonnage percentage might be
recommended. Trade demand is computed using a formula specified in the
order and, for each varietal type, is equal to 90 percent of the prior
year's shipments of free tonnage and reserve tonnage raisins sold for
free use into all market outlets, adjusted by subtracting the carryin
on August 1 of the current crop year, and adding the desirable carryout
at the end of that crop year. As specified in Sec. 989.154(a), the
desirable carryout for NS raisins shall equal the total shipments of
free tonnage during August and September for each of the past 5 crop
years, converted to a natural condition basis, dropping the high and
low figures, and dividing the remaining sum by three, or 60,000 natural
condition tons, whichever is higher. For all other varietal types, the
desirable carryout shall equal the total shipments of free tonnage
during August, September and one-half of October for each of the past 5
crop years, converted to a natural condition basis, dropping the high
and low figures, and dividing the remaining sum by three. In accordance
with these provisions, the Committee computed and announced the 2005-06
trade demand for NS raisins at 232,985 tons as shown below.
[[Page 2174]]
Computed Trade Demand
[Natural condition tons]
------------------------------------------------------------------------
NS
raisins
------------------------------------------------------------------------
Prior year's shipments........................................ 319,752
Multiplied by 90 percent...................................... 0.90
Equals adjusted base.......................................... 287,777
Minus carryin inventory....................................... 114,792
Plus desirable caryout........................................ 60,000
Equals computed NS trade Demand............................... 232,985
------------------------------------------------------------------------
Computation of Preliminary Volume Regulation Percentages
Section 989.54(b) of the order requires that the Committee
announce, on or before October 5, preliminary crop estimates and
determine whether volume regulation is warranted for the varietal types
for which it computed a trade demand. That section allows the Committee
to extend the October 5 date up to 5 business days if warranted by a
late crop.
The Committee met on October 4, 2005, and announced a preliminary
crop estimate for NS raisins of 266,227 tons, which is about 19 percent
lower than the 10-year average of 328,088 tons. NS raisins are the
major varietal type of California raisin. Adding the carry in inventory
of 114,792 tons, plus the 266,227-ton crop estimate resulted in a total
available supply of 381,019 tons, which was significantly higher (164
percent) than the 232,985-ton trade demand. Thus, the Committee
determined that volume regulation for NS raisins was warranted. The
Committee announced preliminary free and reserve percentages for NS
raisins, which released 85 percent of the computed trade demand since a
minimum field price (price paid by handlers to producers for their free
tonnage raisins) had been established. The preliminary percentages were
74 percent free and 26 percent reserve.
In addition, preliminary percentages were announced for Dipped
Seedless, Golden Seedless, Zante Currant, and Other Seedless raisins.
It was ultimately determined that volume regulation was only warranted
for NS raisins. As in past seasons, the Committee submitted its
marketing policy to USDA for review.
Computation of Final Volume Regulation Percentages
Pursuant to Sec. 989.54(c), at its January 26, 2006, meeting, the
Committee announced interim percentages for NS raisins to release
slightly less than the full trade demand. Based on a revised NS crop
estimate of 283,000 tons (up from the October estimate of 266,227
tons), interim percentages for NS raisins were announced at 82.25
percent free and 17.75 percent reserve.
Pursuant to Sec. 989.54(d), the Committee also recommended final
percentages at its January 26, 2006, meeting to release the full trade
demand for NS raisins. Final percentages were recommended at 82.50
percent free and 17.50 percent reserve. The Committee's calculations
and determinations to arrive at final percentages for NS raisins are
shown in the table below:
Final Volume Regulation Percentages
[Natural condition tons]
------------------------------------------------------------------------
NS
raisins
------------------------------------------------------------------------
Trade demand.................................................. 232,985
Divided by crop estimate...................................... 283,000
Equals the free percentage.................................... 82.30
100 minus free percentage equals the reserve percentage....... 17.70
------------------------------------------------------------------------
* * * The Committee recommended rounding the free percentage to 82.50
percent and reducing the reserve percentage to 17.50 percent to
compensate for the higher than normal processing shrinkage being
experienced by handlers with the 2005 NS crop.
By the week ending February 11, 2006, data showed that deliveries
of NS raisins exceeded the Committee's crop estimate of 283,000 tons.
By that date, deliveries of NS raisins totaled 285,052 tons. Thus, at
USDA's request, the Committee met again on March 16, 2006, and reviewed
the current available data and the computations used in arriving at the
recommended final percentages.
At the March meeting, the Committee continued to support a crop
estimate of 283,000 tons, because of the higher than normal processing
shrinkage being experienced with the 2005 NS raisin crop. With a lower
crop estimate, more free tonnage raisins would be made available to
handlers for free tonnage use, but due to the above normal processing
shrinkage the Committee expected supplies to be in balance with market
needs.
By the end of the crop year, July 31, 2006, final deliveries of NS
raisins totaled 319,126 tons. Thus, the Committee's recommendation
provided handlers with an additional 30,294 tons over the computed
trade demand, but the additional tonnage did not appear to impact
marketing conditions.
In addition, USDA's ``Guidelines for Fruit, Vegetable, and
Specialty Crop Marketing Orders'' (Guidelines) specify that 110 percent
of recent years' sales should be made available to primary markets each
season for marketing orders utilizing reserve pool authority. This goal
was met for NS raisins by the establishment of final percentages, which
released 100 percent of the trade demand and the offer of additional
reserve raisins for sale to handlers under the ``10 plus 10 offers.''
As specified in Sec. 989.54(g), the 10 plus 10 offers are two offers
of reserve pool raisins which are made available to handlers during
each season. For each such offer, a quantity of reserve raisins equal
to 10 percent of the prior year's shipments is made available for free
use. Handlers may sell their 10 plus 10 raisins to any market.
For NS raisins, the first 10 plus 10 offer was made in February
2006, and the second offer was made in July 2006. A total of 63,950
tons was made available to raisin handlers through these offers, and
31,975 tons were purchased by and released to handlers during the 2005-
06 crop year. Adding the 31,975 tons of 10 plus 10 raisins to the
232,985 ton trade demand, plus the 30,294 tons of additional raisins
released to handlers through use of the 283,000 ton crop estimate to
compute final percentages, plus 114,792 tons of carry-in inventory
equates to 410,046 tons of natural condition raisins, or 385,275 tons
of packed raisins, that were available to handlers for shipment to free
or primary markets. This is about 128 percent of the quantity of NS
raisins shipped during the 2004-05 crop year (319,752 natural condition
tons or 300,435 packed tons).
In addition to the 10 plus 10 offers, Sec. 989.67(j) of the order
provides authority for sales of reserve raisins to handlers under
certain conditions such as a national emergency, crop failure, change
in economic or marketing conditions, or if free tonnage shipments in
the current crop year exceed shipments of a comparable period of the
prior crop year. Such reserve raisins may be sold by handlers to any
market. When implemented, the additional offers of reserve raisins make
even more raisins available to primary markets, which is consistent
with USDA's Guidelines.
Final Regulatory Flexibility Analysis
Pursuant to requirements set forth in the Regulatory Flexibility
Act (RFA), the Agricultural Marketing Service (AMS) has considered the
economic impact of this action on small entities. Accordingly, AMS has
prepared this final regulatory flexibility analysis.
The purpose of the RFA is to fit regulatory actions to the scale of
business subject to such actions in order that small businesses will
not be unduly
[[Page 2175]]
or disproportionately burdened. Marketing orders issued pursuant to the
Act, and rules issued thereunder, are unique in that they are brought
about through group action of essentially small entities acting on
their own behalf. Thus, both statutes have small entity orientation and
compatibility.
There are approximately 20 handlers of California raisins who are
subject to regulation under the order and approximately 4,500 raisin
producers in the regulated area. Small agricultural firms are defined
by the Small Business Administration (SBA) (13 CFR 121.201) as those
having annual receipts of less that $6,500,000, and small agricultural
producers are defined as those having annual receipts of less than
$750,000. Eleven of the 20 handlers subject to regulation have annual
sales estimated to be at least $6,500,000, and the remaining 9 handlers
have sales less than $6,500,000. No more than 9 handlers and a majority
of producers of California raisins may be classified as small entities.
Since 1949, the California raisin industry has operated under a
Federal marketing order. The order contains authority to, among other
things, limit the portion of a given year's crop that can be marketed
freely in any outlet by raisin handlers. This volume control mechanism
is used to stabilize supplies and prices and strengthen market
conditions. If the primary market (the normal domestic market) is over-
supplied with raisins, grower prices decline substantially.
Pursuant to Sec. 989.54(d) of the order, this rule continues in
effect the action that established final volume regulation percentages
for 2005-06 crop NS raisins. The volume regulation percentages are
82.50 percent free and 17.50 percent 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
certain programs authorized under the order.
Volume regulation was warranted for the 2005-06 season because
acquisitions of 319,126 tons through July 31, 2006, combined with the
carryin inventory of 114,792 tons resulted in a total available supply
of 433,918 tons, which was about 86 percent higher than the 232,985 ton
trade demand.
The current volume regulation procedures have helped the industry
address its marketing problems by keeping supplies in balance with
domestic and export market needs, and strengthening market conditions.
The current volume regulation procedures fully supply the domestic and
export markets, provide for market expansion, and help reduce the
burden of oversupplies in the domestic market.
Raisin grapes are a perennial crop, so production in any year is
dependent upon plantings made in earlier years. The sun-drying method
of producing raisins involves considerable risk because of variable
weather patterns.
Even though the product and the industry are viewed as mature, the
industry has experienced considerable change over the last several
decades. Before the 1975-76 crop year, more than 50 percent of the
raisins were packed and sold directly to consumers. Now, about 65
percent of raisins are sold in bulk. This means that raisins are now
sold to consumers mostly as an ingredient in another product such as
cereal and baked goods. In addition, for a few years in the early
1970's, over 50 percent of the raisin grapes were sold to the wine
market for crushing. Since then, the percent of raisin-variety grapes
sold to the wine industry has decreased.
California's grapes are classified into three groups--table grapes,
wine grapes, and raisin-variety grapes. Raisin-variety grapes are the
most versatile of the three types. They can be marketed as fresh
grapes, crushed for juice in the production of wine or juice
concentrate, or dried into raisins. Annual fluctuations in the fresh
grape, wine, and concentrate markets, as well as weather-related
factors, cause fluctuations in raisin supply. This type of situation
introduces a certain amount of variability into the raisin market.
Although the size of the crop for raisin-variety grapes may be known,
the amount dried for raisins depends on the demand for crushing. This
makes the marketing of raisins a more difficult task. These supply
fluctuations can result in producer price instability and disorderly
market conditions.
Volume regulation is helpful to the raisin industry because it
lessens the impact of such fluctuations and contributes to orderly
marketing. For example, producer prices for NS raisins remained fairly
steady between the 1993-94 through the 1997-98 seasons, although
production varied. As shown in the table below, during those years,
production varied from a low of 272,063 tons in 1996-97 to a high of
387,007 tons in 1993-94.
According to Committee data, the total producer return per ton
during those years, which includes proceeds from both free tonnage plus
reserve pool raisins, varied from a low of $904.60 in 1993-94 to a high
of $1,049 in 1996-97. Total producer prices for the 1998-99 and 1999-
2000 seasons increased significantly due to back-to-back short crops
during those years. Producer prices dropped dramatically for the 2000-
01, 2001-02, and 2002-03 crop years due to record-size production,
large carry-in inventories, and stagnant demand. However, producer
prices increased slightly with a shorter crop in 2003-04 and rebounded
to pre-1998-99 prices during the 2004-05 and 2005-06 crop years as
noted below:
Natural Seedless Producer Prices
------------------------------------------------------------------------
Deliveries
(natural Producer
Crop year condition Prices
tons) (per ton)
------------------------------------------------------------------------
2005-06....................................... 319,126 \1\$1210.00
2004-05....................................... 265,262 \2\1210.00
2003-04....................................... 296,864 \1\567.00
2002-03....................................... 388,010 \1\491.20
2001-02....................................... 377,328 650.94
2000-01....................................... 432,616 603.36
1999-2000..................................... 299,910 1,211.25
1998-99....................................... 240,469 \2\1,290.00
1997-98....................................... 382,448 946.52
1996-97....................................... 272,063 1,049.20
1995-96....................................... 325,911 1,007.19
1994-95....................................... 378,427 928.27
1993-94....................................... 387,007 904.60
------------------------------------------------------------------------
\1\ Return-to-date, reserve pool still open.
\2\ No volume regulation.
There are essentially two broad markets for raisins--domestic and
export. Excluding the 2005-06 crop year, both domestic and export
shipments have been increasing in recent years. Domestic shipments
decreased from a high of 204,805 packed tons during the 1990-91 crop
year to a low of 156,325 packed tons in 1999-2000. Since that time
domestic shipments steadily increased from 174,117 packed tons during
the 2000-01 crop year to 193,680 packed tons during the 2004-05 crop
year, but fell to 186,358 packed tons in 2005-06. In addition, exports
decreased from 114,576 packed tons in 1991-92 to a low of 91,600 packed
tons in the 1999-2000 crop year. Export shipments increased from
101,537 tons during the 2002-03 crop year to 106,755 tons of raisins
during the 2004-05 crop year, but fell to 97,672 packed tons in 2005-
06.
Moreover, the U.S. per capita consumption of raisins has declined
from 2.09 pounds in 1988 to 1.46 pounds in 2004. This decrease is
consistent with the decrease in the per capita consumption of dried
fruits in general, which is due to the increasing availability of most
types of fresh fruit throughout the year.
While the overall demand for raisins has increased in two out of
the last three years (as reflected in increased commercial shipments),
production has
[[Page 2176]]
been decreasing. Deliveries of NS dried raisins from producers to
handlers reached an all-time high of 432,616 tons in the 2000-01 crop
year. This large crop was preceded by two short crop years; deliveries
were 240,469 tons in 1998-99 and 299,910 tons in 1999-2000. Deliveries
for the 2000-01 crop year soared to a record level because of increased
bearing acreage and yields. Deliveries for the 2001-02 crop year were
at 377,328 tons, 388,010 tons for the 2002-03 crop year, 296,864 for
the 2003-04 crop year and 265,262 tons for the 2004-05 crop year. After
three crop years of high production and a large 2001-02 carryin
inventory, the industry diverted raisins or removed 41,000 acres in
2001; 27,000 acres in 2002; and 15,000 acres of vines in 2003 to reduce
the industry's burdensome supply of raisins. These actions resulted in
declining deliveries of 296,865 tons for the 2003-04 crop year and
265,262 tons for the 2004-05 crop year. Deliveries increased in 2005-06
to 319,126 tons.
The order permits the industry to exercise supply control
provisions, which allow for the establishment of free and reserve
percentages, and establishment of a reserve pool. One of the primary
purposes of establishing free and reserve percentages is to equilibrate
supply and demand. If raisin markets are over-supplied with product,
producer prices will decline.
Raisins are generally marketed at relatively lower price levels in
the more elastic export market than in the more inelastic domestic
market. This results in a larger volume of raisins being marketed and
enhances producer returns. In addition, this system allows the U.S.
raisin industry to be more competitive in export markets.
The reserve percentage limits what handlers can market as free
tonnage. Data available as of July 31, 2006, showed that deliveries of
NS raisins were at 319,126 tons. The 17.50 percent reserve limited the
total free tonnage to 263,279 natural condition tons (.8250 x the
319,126 ton crop). Adding 263,279 ton figure with the carryin of
114,792 tons, plus the 31,975 tons of reserve raisins that were
purchased by and released to handlers during the 2005-06 crop year
under the 10 plus 10 offers, made the total free supply equal to
410,046 natural condition tons.
To assess the impact that volume control has on the prices growers
receive for their product, a price dependent econometric model was
estimated. This model is used to estimate grower prices both with and
without the use of volume control. The volume control used by the
raisin industry will result in decreased shipments to primary markets.
Without volume control the primary market (domestic) could be over-
supplied resulting in lower grower prices and the build-up of unwanted
inventories.
The econometric model is used to estimate the difference between
grower prices with and without restrictions. With volume controls,
grower prices are estimated to be approximately $40 per ton higher than
without volume controls. This price increase is beneficial to all
producers regardless of size and enhances producers' total revenues in
comparison to no volume control. Establishing a reserve allows the
industry to help stabilize supplies in both domestic and export
markets, while improving returns to producers.
Free and reserve percentages are established by varietal type, and
usually in years when the supply exceeds the trade demand by a large
enough margin that the Committee believes volume regulation is
necessary to maintain market stability. Accordingly, in assessing
whether to apply volume regulation or, as an alternative, not to apply
such regulation, it was determined that volume regulation was warranted
for the 2005-06 season for only one of the nine raisin varietal types
defined under the order.
The free and reserve percentages continued in effect the release of
the full trade demand and apply uniformly to all handlers in the
industry, regardless of size. For NS raisins, with the exception of the
1998-99 and 2004-05 crop years, small and large raisin producers and
handlers have been operating under volume regulation percentages every
year since 1983-84. There are no known additional costs incurred by
small handlers that are not incurred by large handlers. While the level
of benefits of this rulemaking are difficult to quantify, the
stabilizing effects of the volume regulations impact small and large
handlers positively by helping them maintain and expand markets even
though raisin supplies fluctuate widely from season to season.
Likewise, price stability positively impacts small and large producers
by allowing them to better anticipate the revenues their raisins will
generate.
The AMS is committed to complying with the E-Government Act, to
promote the use of the Internet and other information technologies to
provide increased opportunities for citizen access to Government
information and services, and for other purposes.
There are some reporting, recordkeeping and other compliance
requirements under the order. The reporting and recordkeeping burdens
are necessary for compliance purposes and for developing statistical
data for maintenance of the program. The requirements are the same as
those applied in past seasons. Thus, this action imposes no additional
reporting or recordkeeping requirements on either small or large raisin
handlers. The forms require information which is readily available from
handler records and which can be provided without data processing
equipment or trained statistical staff. The information collection and
recordkeeping requirements have been previously approved by the Office
of Management and Budget (OMB) under OMB Control No. 0581-0178. As with
all Federal marketing order programs, reports and forms are
periodically reviewed to reduce information requirements and
duplication by industry and public sector agencies. In addition, as
noted in the initial regulatory flexibility analysis, USDA has not
identified any relevant Federal rules that duplicate, overlap or
conflict with this rule.
Further, the Committee's meetings were widely publicized throughout
the raisin industry and all interested persons were invited to attend
the meetings and participate in the Committee's deliberations. Like all
Committee meetings, the August 15, 2005, October 4, 2005, January 26,
2006, and March 16, 2006, meetings were public meetings and all
entities, both large and small, were able to express their views on
this issue.
Also, the Committee has a number of appointed subcommittees to
review certain issues and make recommendations to the Committee. The
Committee's Reserve Sales and Marketing Subcommittee met on August 15,
2005, October 4, 2005, January 26, 2006, and March 16, 2006, and
discussed these issues in detail. Those meetings were also public
meetings and both large and small entities were able to participate and
express their views.
An interim final rule concerning this action was published in the
Federal Register on May 23, 2006 (71 FR 29567). Copies of the rule were
mailed to all Committee members and alternates, the Raisin Bargaining
Association, handlers, and dehydrators. In addition, the rule was made
available through the Internet by the Office of the Federal Register
and USDA. That rule provided for a 60-day comment period that ended on
July 24, 2006. No comments were received. However, the interim final
rule identified the effective date as August 1, 2005, through July 3,
2006. This final rule clarifies that the effective date of the volume
percentages for the 2005-06 NS raisins is simply August 1, 2005, and
the percentages apply to all raisins
[[Page 2177]]
acquired during the 2005-06 crop year and continue in effect until all
2005-06 reserve raisins are disposed of under the order. Accordingly,
Sec. 989.258 will appear in the Code of Federal Regulations.
A small business guide on complying with fruit, vegetable, and
specialty crop marketing agreements and orders may be viewed at: http://www.ams.usda.gov/fv/moab.html.
Any questions about the compliance
guide should be sent to Jay Guerber at the previously mentioned address
in the FOR FURTHER INFORMATION CONTACT section.
After consideration of all relevant material presented, including
the Committee's recommendation, and other information, it is found that
finalizing the interim final rule, without change, as published in the
Federal Register (71 FR 29567, May 23, 2006) will tend to effectuate
the declared policy of the Act.
List of Subjects in 7 CFR Part 989
Grapes, Marketing agreements, Raisins, Reporting and recordkeeping
requirements.
PART 989--RAISINS PRODUCED FROM GRAPES GROWN IN CALIFORNIA
0
Accordingly, the interim final rule amending 7 CFR part 989 which was
published at 71 FR 29567 on May 23, 2006, is adopted as a final rule
without change.
Dated: January 12, 2007.
Lloyd C. Day,
Administrator, Agricultural Marketing Service.
[FR Doc. E7-623 Filed 1-17-07; 8:45 am]
BILLING CODE 3410-02-P