[Federal Register Volume 60, Number 22 (Thursday, February 2, 1995)]
[Proposed Rules]
[Page 6453]
From the Federal Register Online via the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]
[FR Doc No: 95-2586]



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DEPARTMENT OF AGRICULTURE
7 CFR Part 29

[TB-94-32]


Tobacco Inspection--Growers Referendum

AGENCY: Agricultural Marketing Service, USDA.

ACTION: Notice of referendum.

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SUMMARY: This notice announces that a referendum will be conducted by 
mail during the period of February 6-10, 1995, for producers of flue-
cured tobacco who sell their tobacco at auction in Fairmont and Fair 
Bluff, North Carolina, to determine producer approval of the 
designation of the Fairmont and Fair Bluff tobacco markets as one 
consolidated auction market.

DATES: The referendum will be held February 6-10, 1995.
FOR FURTHER INFORMATION CONTACT: Larry L. Crabtree, Deputy Director, 
Tobacco Division, Agricultural Marketing Service, United States 
Department of Agriculture, P.O. Box 96456, Washington, DC 20090-6456; 
telephone number (202) 205-0235.

SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION: Notice is hereby given of a mail referendum 
on the designation of a consolidated auction market at Fairmont and 
Fair Bluff, North Carolina. Fairmont and Fair Bluff, North Carolina, 
were designated on June 26, 1942, (7 CFR 29.8001) as flue-cured tobacco 
auction markets under the Tobacco Inspection Act (7 U.S.C. 511 et 
seq.). Under this Act both have been receiving mandatory grading 
services from USDA.
    On July 14, 1994, an application was made to the Secretary of 
Agriculture to consolidate the designated markets of Fairmont and Fair 
Bluff, North Carolina. The application, filed by warehouse operators in 
those markets, was made pursuant to the regulations promulgated under 
the Tobacco Inspection Act (7 CFR part 29.1-29.3). On November 10, 
1994, a public hearing was held in Fair Bluff, North Carolina, pursuant 
to the regulations. A Review Committee, established pursuant to 
Sec. 29.3(h) of the regulations (7 CFR 29.3 (h)), has reviewed and 
considered the application, the testimony presented at the hearing, the 
exhibits received in evidence, and other available information. The 
Committee recommended to the Secretary that the application be granted 
and the Secretary approved the application on January 20, 1995.
    Before a new market can be officially designated, a referendum must 
be held to determine that a two-thirds majority of producers favor the 
designation. It is hereby determined that the referendum will be held 
by mail during the period of February 6-10, 1995. The purpose of the 
referendum is to determine whether farmers who sold their tobacco on 
the designated markets at Fairmont and Fair Bluff are in favor of, or 
opposed to, the designation of the consolidated market for the 1995 and 
succeeding crop years. Accordingly, if a two-thirds majority of those 
tobacco producers voting in the referendum favor this consolidation, a 
new market will be designated as and will be called Fairmont-Fair 
Bluff.
    To be eligible to vote in the referendum a tobacco producer must 
have sold flue-cured tobacco on either the Fairmont or Fair Bluff, 
North Carolina, auction markets during the 1994 marketing season. Any 
farmer who believes he or she is eligible to vote in the referendum but 
has not received a mail ballot by February 6, 1995, should immediately 
contact Larry L. Crabtree at (202) 205-0235.
    The referendum will be held in accordance with the provisions for 
referenda of the Tobacco Inspection Act, as amended (7 U.S.C. 511d) and 
the regulations for such referendum set forth in 7 CFR 29.74.

    Dated: January 27, 1995.
Lon Hatamiya,
Administrator.
[FR Doc. 95-2586 Filed 2-1-95; 8:45 am]
BILLING CODE 3410-02-P