[Federal Register Volume 66, Number 199 (Monday, October 15, 2001)]
[Rules and Regulations]
[Pages 52309-52312]
From the Federal Register Online via the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]
[FR Doc No: 01-25781]


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DEPARTMENT OF AGRICULTURE

Agricultural Marketing Service

7 CFR Part 948

[Docket No. FV01-948-3 FR]


Irish Potatoes Grown in Colorado; Increased Assessment Rate

AGENCY: Agricultural Marketing Service, USDA.

ACTION: Final rule.

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SUMMARY: This rule increases the assessment rate established for the 
Colorado Potato Administrative Committee, Area II (Committee), for the 
2001-02 and subsequent fiscal periods from $0.0015 to $0.0035 per 
hundredweight of potatoes handled. The Committee locally administers 
the marketing order, which regulates the handling of potatoes grown in 
Colorado. Authorization to assess potato handlers enables the Committee 
to incur expenses that are reasonable and necessary to administer the 
program. The fiscal period began September 1 and ends August 31. The 
assessment rate will remain in effect indefinitely unless modified, 
suspended, or terminated.

EFFECTIVE DATE: October 16, 2001.

FOR FURTHER INFORMATION CONTACT: Dennis L. West, Northwest Marketing 
Field Office, Marketing Order

[[Page 52310]]

Administration Branch, Fruit and Vegetable Programs, AMS, USDA, 1220 
SW. Third Avenue, suite 385, Portland, Oregon 97204-2807; telephone: 
(503) 326-2724, Fax: (503) 326-7440; or George Kelhart, Technical 
Advisor, 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) 720-8938.
    Small businesses may request information on complying 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) 
720-8938, or E-mail: [email protected].

SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION: This rule is issued under Marketing 
Agreement No. 97 and Order No. 948, both as amended (7 CFR part 948), 
regulating the handling of Irish potatoes grown in Colorado, 
hereinafter referred to as the ``order.'' The order is 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 order now in effect, Colorado potato handlers 
are subject to assessments. Funds to administer the order are derived 
from such assessments. It is intended that the assessment rate as 
issued herein will be applicable to all assessable potatoes for the 
2001-02 fiscal period, which began on September 1, 2001, and will 
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 increases the assessment rate established for the 
Committee for the 2001-02 and subsequent fiscal periods from $0.0015 to 
$0.0035 per hundredweight of potatoes handled.
    The Colorado potato order provides authority for the Committee, 
with the approval of the Secretary, to formulate an annual budget of 
expenses and collect assessments from handlers to administer the 
program. The members of the Committee are producers and handlers of 
Colorado Area II potatoes. 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. The assessment rate is formulated and discussed in a public 
meeting. Thus, all directly affected persons have an opportunity to 
participate and provide input.
    For the 1998-99 and subsequent fiscal periods, the Committee 
recommended, and the Department approved, an assessment rate that would 
continue in effect from fiscal period to fiscal period unless modified, 
suspended, or terminated by the Secretary upon recommendation and 
information submitted by the Committee or other information available 
to the Secretary.
    The Committee met on May 17, 2001, and unanimously recommended 
2001-02 expenditures of $73,618 and an assessment rate of $0.0035 per 
hundredweight of potatoes handled. In comparison, last year's budgeted 
expenditures were $71,132. The assessment rate of $0.0035 is $0.002 
higher than the rate in effect prior to this final rule. For budget 
purposes, the committee projected the quantity of assessable potatoes 
for 2001-02 at 16,500,000 hundredweight and assessment revenue of 
$57,750 ($0.0035  x  16,500,000 hundredweight). The Committee 
recommended the increased assessment rate because the prior rate of 
$0.0015 would not have generated enough income to adequately administer 
the program through the 2001-02 fiscal period.
    The major expenditures recommended by the Committee for the 2001-02 
year include $40,793 for salaries, $9,950 for office expenses, which 
include telephone service, supplies and postage, $7,650 for building 
maintenance, and $15,225 for miscellaneous expenses. Budgeted expenses 
for these items in 2000-01 were $39,793, $10,700, $6,250, and $14,389, 
respectively.
    The Committee developed the $0.0035 assessment rate recommendation 
by taking into consideration the 2001-02 budget, the estimated 2001-02 
potato crop, the relatively small size of the monetary reserve 
($32,000), and other factors such as the recent attrition in the number 
of farms and handlers. Although the increase more than doubles the 
assessment rate, the Committee may need to draw up to an additional 
$15,868 from its reserves to meet budgeted expenses. The reserve of 
approximately $32,000 is below the maximum amount authorized by the 
order of approximately two fiscal periods' expenses (Sec. 948.78).
    As mentioned earlier, based on projected shipments of 16,500,000 
hundredweight, the recommended assessment rate of $0.0035 should 
provide $57,750 in assessment income. Income from such handler 
assessments, combined with interest income and funds from the 
Committee's authorized reserve, will be adequate to meet budgeted 
expenses for the 2001-02 fiscal period.
    The assessment rate established in this rule will continue in 
effect indefinitely unless modified, suspended, or terminated by the 
Secretary upon recommendation and information submitted by the 
Committee or other available information.
    Although this assessment rate will be in effect for an indefinite 
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 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 
2001-02 budget and those for subsequent fiscal periods would be 
reviewed and, as appropriate, approved by the Department.

Final Regulatory Flexibility Analysis

    Pursuant to requirements set forth in the Regulatory Flexibility 
Act (RFA), the Agricultural Marketing Service (AMS) has considered the 
economic impact of this rule on small entities. Accordingly,

[[Page 52311]]

AMS has prepared this final 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 250 producers of Colorado Area II potatoes 
and approximately 93 handlers subject to regulation under the order. 
Small agricultural producers are defined by the Small Business 
Administration (13 CFR 121.201) as those having annual receipts of less 
than $750,000, and small agricultural service firms are defined as 
those whose annual receipts are less than $5,000,000.
    When the proposed rule was published, the SBA standard for 
determining small agricultural producers was $500,000. That standard 
has been changed to $750,000.
    Information for the most recent season in which statistics are 
available, as reported by the National Agricultural Statistics Service, 
was considered in determining the number of large and small producers 
by acreage, production, and producer prices. According to the 
information provided, the average yield per acre was 335 hundredweight, 
the average farm size was 306 acres, and the season average producer 
price was $4.20 per hundredweight. This equates to average gross annual 
producer receipts of approximately $430,542. Furthermore, based upon 
information provided by the Committee, 96 percent of the handlers of 
Area II potatoes have shipped under $5,000,000 worth of potatoes during 
the most recent season for which numbers are available. Based on the 
foregoing, it can be concluded that a majority of producers and 
handlers of Area II potatoes may be classified as small entities, 
excluding receipts from other sources.
    This rule increases the assessment rate established for the 
Committee and collected from handlers for the 2001-02 and subsequent 
fiscal periods from $0.0015 to $0.0035 per hundredweight of potatoes 
handled. The Committee unanimously recommended 2001-02 expenditures of 
$73,618 and an assessment rate of $0.0035 per hundredweight. The 
assessment rate of $0.0035 is $0.002 higher than the rate in effect 
prior to this rule and increases the financial burden on handlers by 
approximately $33,000. The quantity of assessable fresh potatoes for 
the 2001-02 season is estimated at 16,500,000 hundredweight. Thus, the 
$0.0035 rate should provide $57,750 in assessment income which, when 
combined with interest income and income from the Committee's monetary 
reserve, should be adequate to cover budgeted expenses. The rate in 
effect prior to this rule would not have provided enough funds to cover 
anticipated expenses.
    The major expenditures recommended by the Committee for the 2001-02 
year include $40,793 for salaries, $9,950 for office expenses, which 
include telephone service, supplies and postage, $7,650 for building 
maintenance, and $15,225 for miscellaneous expenses. Budgeted expenses 
for these items in 2000-01 were $39,793, $10,700, $6,250, and $14,389 
respectively.
    The Committee recommended the increased assessment rate to help 
offset higher administration costs and to decrease the rate in which 
the monetary reserve has been relied upon in recent fiscal periods. 
Based on the Committee's 2001-02 crop estimate, the reserve of $32,000 
could be reduced by as much as $15,868 with the recommended assessment 
rate.
    The Committee reviewed and unanimously recommended 2001-02 
expenditures of $73,618. This compares to last year's approved budget 
of $71,132. Prior to arriving at a budget, alternative expenditures and 
assessment levels were discussed by the Committee, including higher and 
lower rates of assessment. When considering the relatively poor 
economic returns the industry has faced during the past six seasons and 
the resultant instability within the potato industry, as well as the 
2001-02 budget and the size of the monetary reserve ($32,000), the 
Committee concluded that an increase in the rate of assessment to 
$0.0035 per hundredweight of potatoes allows it to properly administer 
the program.
    A review of historical information, as well as preliminary 
information pertaining to the upcoming fiscal period, indicates that 
the producer price for the 2001-02 season could range between $2.06 and 
$7.35 per hundredweight of potatoes. Therefore, the estimated 
assessment revenue for the 2001-02 fiscal period as a percentage of 
total producer revenue could range between 0.170 and 0.048 percent.
    This action increases the assessment obligation imposed on 
handlers. While assessments impose some additional costs on handlers, 
the costs are minimal and uniform on all handlers. Some of the 
additional costs may be passed on to producers. However, these costs 
are offset by the benefits derived by the operation of the order. In 
addition, the Committee's meeting was widely publicized throughout the 
Colorado Area II potato industry and all interested persons were 
invited to attend the meeting and participate in Committee 
deliberations on all issues. Like all Committee meetings, the May 17, 
2001, meeting was a public meeting and all entities, both large and 
small, were able to express views on this issue.
    This rule imposes no additional reporting or recordkeeping 
requirements on either small or large potato 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.
    A proposed rule concerning this action was published in the Federal 
Register on August 2, 2001 (66 FR 40153). A copy of the proposed rule 
was mailed to the Committee office, which in turn notified Committee 
members and industry members. The proposal was also made available 
through the Internet by the Office of the Federal Register, and the 
Department. A 30-day comment period ending September 4, 2001, was 
provided for interested persons to respond to the proposal. No comments 
were received.
    A small business guide on complying with fruit, vegetable, and 
specialty crop marketing agreements and orders may be viewed at: http://www.ams.usda.gov/fv/moab.html. Any questions about the compliance 
guide should be sent to Jay Guerber at the previously mentioned address 
in the FOR FURTHER INFORMATION CONTACT section.
    After consideration of all relevant material presented, including 
the information and recommendation submitted by the Committee and other 
available information, it is hereby found that this rule, as 
hereinafter set forth, will tend to effectuate the declared policy of 
the Act.
    Pursuant to 5 U.S.C. 553, it also found and determined that good 
cause exists for not postponing the effective date of this rule until 
30 days after publication in the Federal Register because: (1) The 
2001-02 fiscal period began on September 1, 2001, and the order 
requires that the rate of assessment for each fiscal period apply to 
all assessable potatoes handled during such fiscal period; (2) the 
Committee needs to have sufficient funds to pay its expenses

[[Page 52312]]

which are incurred on a continuous basis; and (3) handlers are aware of 
this action which was unanimously recommended by the Committee at a 
public meeting. Also, a 30-day comment period was provided for in the 
proposed rule, and no comments were received.

List of Subjects in 7 CFR Part 948

    Marketing Agreements, Potatoes, Reporting and recordkeeping 
requirements.


    For the reasons set forth in the preamble, 7 CFR part 948 is 
amended as follows:

PART 948--IRISH POTATOES GROWN IN COLORADO

    1. The authority citation for 7 CFR part 948 continues to read as 
follows:

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

    2. Section 948.216 is revised to read as follows:


Sec. 948.216  Assessment rate.

    On and after September 1, 2001, an assessment rate of $0.0035 per 
hundredweight is established for Colorado Area II potatoes.

    Dated: October 5, 2001.
Kenneth C. Clayton,
Associate Administrator, Agricultural Marketing Service.
[FR Doc. 01-25781 Filed 10-12-01; 8:45 am]
BILLING CODE 3410-02-P