[Federal Register Volume 75, Number 187 (Tuesday, September 28, 2010)]
[Notices]
[Page 59683]
From the Federal Register Online via the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]
[FR Doc No: 2010-24318]
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DEPARTMENT OF AGRICULTURE
Foreign Agricultural Service
Trade Adjustment Assistance for Farmers
AGENCY: Foreign Agricultural Service, USDA.
ACTION: Notice.
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The Administrator for the Foreign Agricultural Service (FAS) has
denied a petition (No. 2011014) for trade adjustment assistance for
dried prunes filed under the fiscal year (FY) 2011 program by the Prune
Bargaining Association. The petition was accepted for review by USDA on
August 11, 2010.
SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION: To qualify under the program, Subtitle C of
Title I of the Trade Act of 2002 (Pub. L. 107-210) states that
petitions must demonstrate, using data for the most recent, full
marketing year or full official marketing season, a greater than 15-
percent decline in at least one of the following factors: National
average price, quantity of production, value of production, or cash
receipts.
According to the statute, it is also necessary for the petition to
demonstrate that an increase in imports of like or directly competitive
articles, during the same marketing period, contributed importantly to
the decrease in one of the above factors for the agricultural
commodity.
All petitions were analyzed by USDA's Economic Research Service and
reviewed by the Trade Adjustment Assistance for Farmers Program Review
Committee, comprised of representatives from USDA's Office of the Chief
Economist, Farm Service Agency, Agricultural Marketing Service, and
FAS. After the review, the Administrator determined that the petition
demonstrated the `greater than 15-percent decline' criterion, because
it showed a 17.1-percent decline in the average annual price for 2009/
2010, when compared to the previous 3-year period. Additionally, the
import data provided for the same time period showed a 54.2-percent
increase, meeting the `increase in imports' criterion.
However, while the petition was able to demonstrate that California
dried prunes met the `greater than 15-percent decline' criterion and
the `increase in imports' criterion, the import data, along with
historical import trends showed no inverse correlation between prices
and the quantity of imported dried prunes and prune juice, a necessary
requirement under the program.
As a result, it was determined that imports were not an important
factor in determining the average annual price of California dried
prunes in 2009/2010. Instead, ERS found that changes in domestic prune
production, inventories, exports, and domestic consumption were the
factors affecting dried prune grower prices in 2009/2010.
Because the petition was unable to demonstrate that the decline in
average annual price was importantly caused by an increase in imports,
the Administrator was not able to certify the petition, making dried
prune producers in California ineligible for trade adjustment
assistance in FY 2011.
FOR FURTHER INFORMATION, CONTACT: Trade Adjustment Assistance for
Farmers Program Staff, Office of Trade Programs, FAS, USDA; or by phone
at (202) 720-0638, or (202) 690-0633; or by e-mail at:
[email protected]; or visit the TAA for Farmers' Web site
at: http://www.fas.usda.gov/itp/taa.
Dated: September 20, 2010.
John D. Brewer,
Administrator, Foreign Agricultural Service.
[FR Doc. 2010-24318 Filed 9-27-10; 8:45 am]
BILLING CODE 3410-10-P