[Federal Register Volume 59, Number 119 (Wednesday, June 22, 1994)]
[Unknown Section]
[Page 0]
From the Federal Register Online via the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]
[FR Doc No: 94-15102]


[[Page Unknown]]

[Federal Register: June 22, 1994]


                                                   VOL. 59, NO. 119

                                           Wednesday, June 22, 1994

DEPARTMENT OF AGRICULTURE

Office of the Secretary

7 CFR Parts 0 and 1

Agricultural Marketing Service

7 CFR Parts 7, 47, 50, 51, 52, 53, 54, and 180

Packers and Stockyards Administration

9 CFR Part 202

 

Rules of Practice

AGENCY: Office of the Secretary of Agriculture, USDA.

ACTION: Proposed Rule; reopening and extension of comment period.

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SUMMARY: We are reopening and extending the comment period for the 
public comment on a proposed rule to amend the Rules of Practice 
Governing Formal Adjudicatory Proceedings Instituted by the Secretary 
Under Various Statutes, the Rules of Practice Governing Cease and 
Desist Proceedings Under Section 2 of the Capper-Volstead Act, the 
Rules of Practice Under the Perishable Agricultural Commodities Act, 
and the Rules of Practice Applicable to Reparation Proceedings Under 
the Packers and Stockyards Act. The proposed rule would provide that 
conferences shall be conducted by telephone or correspondence, and 
hearings and depositions be conducted by telephone, unless the person 
conducting the proceeding orders that the conference, hearing, or 
deposition be conducted by audio-visual telecommunications or personal 
attendance. The proposal would also provide for the use of recordings 
of hearings and depositions, and would require each party to exchange, 
in writing, with all other parties in the proceeding, the direct 
testimony of each witness the party intends to call. Reopening and 
extending the comment period will give interested persons additional 
time to prepare and submit comments.

DATES: Consideration will be given only to comments received on or 
before July 22, 1994.

ADDRESSES: Please send an original and three copies of your comments to 
William Jenson, Senior Counsel, Office of the General Counsel, USDA, 
room 2422, South Building, 14th Street and Independence Avenue SW., 
Washington, DC 20250. Comments received may be inspected at USDA, Room 
2422, South Building, 14th Street and Independence Avenue SW., 
Washington, DC 20250, between 8 a.m. and 4:30 p.m., Monday through 
Friday, except holidays. Persons wishing to inspect comments are 
encouraged to call ahead (202) 720-2453 to facilitate entry.

FOR FURTHER INFORMATION CONTACT:
Mary Hobbie, Deputy Assistant General Counsel, Trade Practices 
Division, Office of the General Counsel, USDA, Room 2446, South 
Building, 14th Street and Independence Avenue, SW., Washington, DC 
20250, (202) 720-5293.

SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION:

Background

    On February 25, 1994, we published in the Federal Register (59 FR 
9114-9136) a proposed rule to amend the Rules of Practice Governing 
Formal Adjudicatory Proceedings Instituted by the Secretary Under 
Various Statutes (7 CFR 1.130 through 1.151), the Rules of Practice 
Governing Cease and Desist Proceedings Under Section 2 of the Capper-
Volstead Act (7 CFR 1.160 through 1.175), the Rules of Practice Under 
the Perishable Agricultural Commodities Act Applicable to Reparation 
Proceedings (7 CFR 47.1 through 47.25 and 47.46), the Rules of Practice 
Under the Perishable Agricultural Commodities Act Applicable to 
Determinations as to Whether a Person is Responsibly Connected With a 
Licensee Under the Perishable Agricultural Commodities Act (7 CFR 47.1, 
47.2(a) through 47.2(h), and 47.47 through 47.68), and the Rules of 
Practice Applicable to Reparation Proceedings Under the Packers and 
Stockyards Act (9 CFR 202.101 through 202.123), to specifically provide 
that conferences may be conducted by telephone, correspondence, audio-
visual telecommunication, or personal attendance of the participants.
    We also proposed to amend these rules of practice to allow the use 
of recordings of depositions and hearings instead of requiring the 
transcription of depositions and hearings and to require that each 
party exchange, in writing, with all other parties, the direct 
testimony of each witness the party will call. In addition, we proposed 
a number of minor and nunsubstantive amendments to the regulations.
    Comments on the proposed rule were required to be received on or 
before April 26, 1994.
    We received a request for an extension of the comment period to 
allow interested persons additional time to prepare and submit comments 
regarding the proposal. In response to this request, we are ropening 
and extending the comment period for an additional 30 days. We will 
consider all comments that are received on or before July 22, 1994.

    Done in Washington, DC, this 12th day of June, 1994.
Mike Espy,
Secretary of Agriculture.
[FR Doc. 94-15102 Filed 6-21-94; 8:45 am]
BILLING CODE 3410-01-M