[Federal Register Volume 63, Number 183 (Tuesday, September 22, 1998)]
[Proposed Rules]
[Page 50540]
From the Federal Register Online via the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]
[FR Doc No: 98-25214]


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 Proposed Rules
                                                 Federal Register
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 This section of the FEDERAL REGISTER contains notices to the public of 
 the proposed issuance of rules and regulations. The purpose of these 
 notices is to give interested persons an opportunity to participate in 
 the rule making prior to the adoption of the final rules.
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  Federal Register / Vol. 63, No. 183 / Tuesday, September 22, 1998 / 
Proposed Rules  

[[Page 50540]]


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DEPARTMENT OF AGRICULTURE

Agricultural Marketing Service

7 CFR Part 1160

[DA-98-09]


Fluid Milk Promotion Program; Notice of Referendum

AGENCY: Agricultural Marketing Service, USDA.

ACTION: Notice of referendum.

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SUMMARY: This document announces that a referendum will be held to 
determine whether fluid milk processors favor the continuation of the 
Fluid Milk Promotion Order. The National Fluid Milk Processor Board, 
which administers the order, requested the action. The order will 
remain in effect if at least 50 percent of the fluid milk processors 
voting in the referendum favor its continuation and those processors 
marketed in July 1998 at least 60 percent of the fluid milk products 
sold in the United States by all processors voting in the referendum.

DATES: The referendum will be held November 9-16, 1998. The 
representative period for establishing voter eligibility will be July 
1998.

FOR FURTHER INFORMATION CONTACT: Shirley Flood, Referendum Agent, USDA/
AMS/Dairy Programs, Room 2753, South Building, P.O. Box 96456, 
Washington, DC 20090-6456, (202) 720-9374.

SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION: This document announces that a referendum 
will be conducted on November 9-16, 1998, among fluid milk processors 
to determine whether the Fluid Milk Promotion Order should continue. 
The Order is authorized by the Fluid Milk Promotion Act of 1990, as 
amended by the Fluid Milk Promotion Amendments Act of 1993 and 1996. 
The program is funded by a mandatory 20-cent assessment on processors 
whose monthly marketing exceeds 500,000 pounds of fluid milk products 
sold in the United States.
    The Fluid Milk Promotion Order, which became effective December 10, 
1993, provides that the Secretary shall conduct a continuation 
referendum at the request of the Board or any group of fluid milk 
processors which represents 10 percent or more of the fluid milk 
products marketed in the United States by all fluid milk processors 
voting in the preceding referendum. The order will remain in effect if 
at least 50 percent of the fluid milk processors voting in the 
referendum favor its continuation and those processors marketed during 
the representative period (as determined by the Secretary) at least 60 
percent of the fluid milk products marketed in the United States by all 
processors voting in the referendum.
    The month of July 1998 is hereby determined to be the 
representative period for the conduct of such referendum. Fluid milk 
processors who wish to participate in the referendum will have to 
register to vote by certifying that they were processors during the 
month of July 1998. Those handlers processing and marketing more than 
500,000 pounds of fluid milk products during the month of July 1998 
will be eligible to vote in the referendum, provided they are fluid 
milk processors at the time of voter registration and during the time 
the referendum is conducted.
    It is hereby directed that a referendum be conducted during the 
period of November 9-16, 1998, in accordance with the procedure for the 
conduct of referenda (7 CFR 1160.600 et seq.), to determine whether the 
Fluid Milk Promotion Order is approved by fluid milk processors who, 
during the representative period, were engaged in the distribution of 
fluid milk products within the 48 contiguous United States and the 
District of Columbia.
    Shirley Flood is hereby designated as the agent of the Secretary to 
conduct such referendum.
    In accordance with the Paperwork Reduction Act of 1980 (44 U.S.C. 
Chapter 35), the forms and reporting and recordkeeping requirements 
that are included in the Fluid Milk Promotion Order have been approved 
by the Office of Management and Budget (OMB) and were assigned OMB No. 
0581-0093, except for Board members' nominee information sheets that 
were assigned OMB No. 0505-0001.

    Authority: 7 U.S.C. 6401-6417.

    Dated: September 16, 1998.
Enrique E. Figueroa,
Administrator, Agricultural Marketing Service.
[FR Doc. 98-25214 Filed 9-21-98; 8:45 am]
BILLING CODE 3410-02-P