[Federal Register Volume 61, Number 241 (Friday, December 13, 1996)]
[Notices]
[Pages 65604-65605]
From the Federal Register Online via the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]
[FR Doc No: 96-31835]


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NORTHEAST DAIRY COMPACT COMMISSION


Notice of Price Regulation Procedure; Hearing

    Price regulation procedure hearings will be held on December 17, 
1996, 10:00 am at the Lebanon Elks Lodge, Lebanon, NH, and on December 
19, 1996 11:00 am at the Northborough Grange Hall, Northborough, MA.

I. Authority

    (a) Article V, Section 11 of the Northeast Interstate Dairy 
Compact, and all other applicable Articles and Sections, as approved by 
Section 147 of the Federal Agricultural Improvement and Reform Act 
(FAIR ACT), P.L. 104-127, and as thereby set forth in S.J. Res. 
28(1)(b) of the 104th Congress.
    (b) Bylaws of the Northeast Dairy Compact Commission, adopted 
November 21, 1996.
    (c) Resolution adopted by Northeast Dairy Compact Commission, 
November 21, 1996.

II. Summary of Notice

    Pursuant to Article VI(B) of its bylaws, the Northeast Dairy 
Compact Commission hereby announces the commencement, on its own 
initiative, of a price regulation rulemaking proceeding. Pursuant to 
Article VI(C) of the Bylaws, the Commission further notices the 
scheduling of a hearing as provided below.

III. Statement of Subject Matter of Hearing

    The hearing shall consider the following subjects and issues 
relating to the possible establishment of a compact over-order price 
regulation:
    1. The balance between production and consumption of Class I, fluid 
milk products in the territorial region of the six participating, New 
England states.
    2. The costs of production in the territorial region of the six 
participating, New England states, including, but not limited to the 
price feed, transportation costs, the cost of labor, including the 
reasonable value of the producer's own labor and management, machinery 
expense and interest expense.
    3. The prevailing farm, wholesale and retail prices for milk 
outside the territorial region of the six participating New England 
states.

[[Page 65605]]

    4. The costs of processing and distributing Class I, fluid milk 
products within the territorial region of the six participating New 
England states by plants located within the region.
    5. The costs of delivering and marketing bulk, Class I, fluid milk 
to plants located within the territorial region of the six 
participating New England states from within and outside the region.
    6. The costs of delivering and distributing packaged, Class I, 
fluid milk products within the territorial region of the six 
participating New England states processed outside the region.
    7. The purchasing power of the general public.
    8. The nature and function of all government programs providing 
food assistance in the form of Class I, fluid, milk products, such as 
the Women, Infants and Children Special Supplemental Food Program of 
the United States Child Nutrition Act of 1996, and the potential impact 
of compact over-order price regulation on such programs.
    9. The costs of retailing Class I fluid milk products.
    10. The econometrics of price transmission from the farm to retail 
price for Class I, fluid milk products.
    11. The prices needed to yield a reasonable return to producers of 
milk and distributors of Class I, fluid, milk products.
    12. Feasible actions which may be taken to ensure that compact 
over-order price regulation, if imposed, does not create an incentive 
for producers to generate additional supplies of milk.

IV. Dates, Times and Locations of Hearing

    The Northeast Dairy Compact Commission will hold hearings:
    1. Tuesday, December 17, 1996, at 10:00 am at the Lebanon Elks 
Lodge, Heater Road, Lebanon, NH.
    2. Thursday, December 19, 1996 at 11:00 am at the Northborough 
Grange Hall, School Street, Northborough, MA.

V. Right to Provide Written Comment

    Pursuant to Article VI(D) of the Bylaws, any person may participate 
in the rulemaking proceeding independent of the hearing process by 
submitting written comments and exhibits to the Northeast Dairy Compact 
Commission. The comment and/or exhibits may be submitted at any time 
until January 2, 1997. Comments and exhibits will be made part of the 
record of the rulemaking proceeding if they identify the author's name, 
address and occupation and if they include a sworn, notarized statement 
indicating that the comment and/or exhibit is presented based upon the 
author's personal knowledge and belief.
    Comments and exhibits should be sent to: Northeast Dairy Compact 
Commission, 43 State Street, P.O. Box 1058, Montpelier, VT 05601, (802) 
229-2028 (fax).
    For more information, contact a New England state department of 
agriculture or the Compact Commission offices--(802) 229-1941.
Daniel Smith,
Executive Director.
[FR Doc. 96-31835 Filed 12-12-96; 8:45 am]
BILLING CODE 1650-01-M