[Federal Register Volume 62, Number 250 (Wednesday, December 31, 1997)]
[Rules and Regulations]
[Pages 68150-68152]
From the Federal Register Online via the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]
[FR Doc No: 97-34094]


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DEPARTMENT OF AGRICULTURE

Agricultural Marketing Service

7 CFR Part 925

[Docket No. FV98-925-1 IFR]


Grapes Grown in a Designated Area of Southeastern California; 
Temporary Suspension of Continuing Assessment Rate

AGENCY: Agricultural Marketing Service, USDA.

ACTION: Interim final rule with request for comments.

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SUMMARY: This rule suspends the continuing assessment rate for the 
California Desert Grape Administrative Committee (Committee) under 
Marketing Order No. 925 for the 1998 fiscal period. The fiscal period 
begins January 1 and ends December 31. The Committee is responsible for 
local administration of the marketing order, and recommended that no 
handler assessments be collected in 1998. It made this recommendation 
because it has enough reserve funds to cover 1998 fiscal year expenses 
and expenses expected during the first several months of fiscal year 
1999, and to keep its operating reserve within the maximum permitted 
under the marketing order. The assessment rate will apply again during 
fiscal year 1999 to cover expenses and to replenish the Committee's 
reserve funds. That rate will continue in effect indefinitely unless 
modified, suspended, or terminated.

DATES: Effective January 2, 1998. Comments received by March 2, 1998 
will be considered prior to issuance of a final rule.

ADDRESSES: Interested persons are invited to submit written comments 
concerning this rule. Comments must be sent in triplicate to the Docket 
Clerk, Fruit and Vegetable Programs, AMS, USDA, Room 2525-S, P.O. Box 
96456, Washington, DC 20090-6456; Fax: (202) 205-6632. Comments should 
reference the docket number and the date and page number of this issue 
of the Federal Register and will be available for public inspection in 
the Office of the Docket Clerk during regular business hours.

FOR FURTHER INFORMATION CONTACT: Diane Purvis, Marketing Assistant, or 
Rose Aguayo, Marketing Specialist, California Marketing Field Office, 
Fruit and Vegetable Programs, AMS, USDA, 2202 Monterey Street, Suite 
102B, Fresno, California 93721; telephone: (209) 487-5901, Fax: (209) 
487-5906; or George Kelhart, Marketing Order

[[Page 68151]]

Administrative Branch, Fruit and Vegetable Programs, AMS, USDA, Room 
2525-S, P.O. Box 96456, Washington, DC 20090-6456; telephone: (202) 
720-2491, Fax: (202) 205-6632. Small businesses may request information 
on compliance with this regulation by contacting Jay Guerber, Marketing 
Order Administration Branch, Fruit and Vegetable Programs, AMS, USDA, 
Room 2525-S, P.O. Box 96456, Washington, DC 20090-6456; telephone: 
(202) 720-2491, Fax: (202) 205-6632.

SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION: This rule is issued under Marketing 
Agreement and Order No. 925 (7 CFR part 925) regulating the handling of 
grapes grown in a designated area of southeastern California, 
hereinafter referred to as the ``order.'' The marketing agreement and 
order are effective under the Agricultural Marketing Agreement Act of 
1937, as amended (7 U.S.C. 601-674), hereinafter referred to as the 
``Act.''
    The Department of Agriculture (Department) is issuing this rule in 
conformance with Executive Order 12866.
    This rule has been reviewed under Executive Order 12988, Civil 
Justice Reform. Under the marketing order now in effect, California 
grape handlers are subject to assessments. Funds to administer the 
order are derived from such assessments. In 1997, an assessment rate of 
$.01 per lug of grapes was fixed by the Secretary to continue in effect 
indefinitely unless modified, suspended, or terminated. This action 
suspends that assessment rate for the 1998 fiscal year. The assessment 
rate again will apply in fiscal year 1999, and it will be applicable to 
all assessable grapes beginning January 1, 1999, and continue in effect 
until amended, suspended, or terminated. 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 the Secretary 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. Such handler is afforded the opportunity for a hearing on 
the petition. After the hearing the Secretary 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 the 
Secretary'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 temporarily suspends Sec. 925.215 of the order's rules 
and regulations. Section 925.215 established an assessment rate of 
$0.01 per lug for fiscal period 1997 and subsequent fiscal periods. 
Continuous assessment rates remain in effect from fiscal period to 
fiscal period indefinitely unless modified, suspended, or terminated by 
the Secretary. This rule suspends the $0.01 assessment rate for the 
1998 fiscal period.
    Section 925.41 of the grape marketing order provides authority for 
the Committee, with the approval of the Department, to formulate an 
annual budget of expenses and collect assessments from handlers to 
administer the program. In addition, Sec. 925.42 authorizes the use of 
reserve funds to cover program expenses. The members of the Committee 
are producers and handlers of California grapes. They are familiar with 
the Committee's needs and with the costs for goods and services in 
their local area and are thus in a position to formulate an appropriate 
budget and assessment rate. Recommendations concerning the assessment 
rate are formulated and discussed in a public meeting. Thus, all 
directly affected persons have an opportunity to participate and 
provide input.
    The Committee met on November 12, 1997, and unanimously recommended 
to carry over the 1997 reserve fund of almost $190,000, to adopt a 
budget of $160,619, and to suspend the assessment rate of $0.01 per lug 
of grapes for the 1998 fiscal period. The Committee determined that 
sufficient funds would be available to meet the expected 1998 fiscal 
period expenses, and to cover anticipated expenses during the first few 
months of fiscal year 1999, before handler assessments are collected. 
The Committee discussed alternatives to this rule, including not 
suspending the assessment rate, but concluded that an assessment rate 
will not be necessary as there will be sufficient reserve funds and 
interest income to meet the 1998 fiscal period expenses, and early 
season expenses in 1999. Also, the Committee recommended that the major 
expenditures for the 1998 fiscal period should include $100,000 for 
research, $25,000 for the sheriff's patrol, and $9,109 for the 
manager's salary. Budgeted expenses for these items in 1997 were 
$100,000 for research, $25,000 for compliance purposes, and $8,675 for 
the manager's salary. Funds in the reserve will be kept within the 
maximum permitted by the order (approximately one fiscal period's 
expenses).
    Although this assessment rate suspension only is effective for the 
1998 fiscal period, the Committee will continue to meet prior to or 
during each fiscal period to recommend a budget of expenses and 
consider recommendations for modification of the continuing assessment 
rate. The dates and times of Committee meetings are available from the 
Committee or the Department. Committee meetings are open to the public 
and interested persons may express their views at these meetings. The 
Department will evaluate Committee recommendations and other available 
information to determine whether modification of the assessment rate is 
needed. Further rulemaking will be undertaken as necessary. The 
Committee's 1998 budget has been approved; and those for subsequent 
fiscal periods will be reviewed and, as appropriate, approved by the 
Department.
    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 initial 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 or disproportionately burdened. Marketing orders issued 
pursuant to the Act, and the 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 27 handlers of California grapes subject to 
regulation under the marketing order and approximately 80 producers in 
the production area. Small agricultural producers are defined by the 
Small Business Administration (13 CFR 121.601) as those whose annual 
receipts are less than $500,000, and small agricultural service firms 
are defined as those whose annual receipts are less than $5,000,000. 
Ten of the 27 handlers subject to regulation have annual grape sales of 
at least $5,000,000, excluding receipts from any other sources. The 
remaining 17 handlers have annual receipts less than $5,000,000, 
excluding receipts from other sources. In addition, 70 of the 80 
producers subject to regulation have annual sales of at least $500,000. 
The remaining 10 producers

[[Page 68152]]

have annual sales less than $500,000, excluding receipts from any other 
sources. Therefore, a majority of handlers and a minority of producers 
are classified as small entities.
    This rule suspends Sec. 925.215 of the order's rules and 
regulations, which established an assessment rate of $0.01 per lug for 
fiscal period 1997 and subsequent fiscal periods. This suspension will 
be in effect for the 1998 fiscal period.
    The Committee discussed alternatives to this rule, including not 
suspending the assessment rate, but concluded that no assessment rate 
will be necessary as there will be sufficient funds in the reserve and 
interest income to meet the 1998 fiscal period's expenses, and expenses 
for the first several months of fiscal year 1999. Also, the Committee 
recommended that the major expenditures for the 1998 fiscal period 
should include $100,000 for research, $25,000 for the sheriff's patrol, 
and $9,109 for the manager's salary. Budgeted expenses for these items 
in 1997 were $100,000 for research, $25,000 for compliance purposes, 
and $8,675 for the manager's salary. Funds in the reserve will be kept 
within the maximum permitted by the order (approximately one fiscal 
period's expenses).
    Handler costs will be reduced during the 1998 fiscal year, as 
assessments will not be collected. The Committee's meeting was widely 
publicized throughout the grape industry and all interested persons 
were invited to attend the meeting and participate in Committee 
deliberations on all issues. Like all Committee meetings, the November 
12, 1997, meeting was a public meeting and all entities, both large and 
small, were able to express views on this issue. Finally, interested 
persons are invited to submit information on the regulatory and 
informational impacts of this action on small businesses.
    This action will not impose any additional reporting or 
recordkeeping requirements on either small or large grape handlers. 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.
    The Department has not identified any relevant Federal rules that 
duplicate, overlap, or conflict with this rule.
    After consideration of all relevant matter presented, including the 
information and recommendation submitted by the Committee and other 
available information, it is hereby found that the continuing 
assessment rate on handlers during the 1998 fiscal period no longer 
tends to effectuate the declared policy of the Act. The suspension 
shall continue only through December 31, 1998, at which time it shall 
terminate and the suspended assessment rate specified in section 
925.215 will apply again beginning January 1, 1999.
    Pursuant to 5 U.S.C. 553, it is also found and determined upon good 
cause that it is impracticable, unnecessary, and contrary to the public 
interest to give preliminary notice prior to putting this rule into 
effect, and that good cause exists for not postponing the effective 
date of this rule until 30 days after publication in the Federal 
Register because: (1) This action relieves restrictions on handlers by 
suspending the assessment rate on handlers during the 1998 fiscal 
period; (2) the 1998 fiscal period begins on January 1, 1998, and this 
action should be effective as soon as possible to inform handlers that 
the Secretary concurs with the Committee's recommendation; (3) handlers 
are aware of this action which was unanimously recommended by the 
Committee at a public meeting; and (4) this interim final rule provides 
a 60-day comment period, and all comments timely received will be 
considered prior to finalization of this rule.

List of Subjects in 7 CFR Part 925

    Grapes, Marketing agreements, Reporting and recordkeeping 
requirements.

    For the reasons set forth in the preamble, 7 CFR part 925 is 
amended as follows:

PART 925--GRAPES GROWN IN A DESIGNATED AREA OF SOUTHEASTERN 
CALIFORNIA

    1. The authority citation for 7 CFR part 925 continues to read as 
follows:

    Authority: 7 U.S.C. 601-674.


Sec. 925.215  [Suspended]

    2. In Part 925, Sec. 925.215 is suspended in its entirety effective 
January 1, 1998, through December 31, 1998.

    Dated: December 23, 1997.
Sharon Bomer Lauritsen,
Acting Deputy Administrator, Fruit and Vegetable Programs.
[FR Doc. 97-34094 Filed 12-30-97; 8:45 am]
BILLING CODE 3410-02-P