[Federal Register Volume 67, Number 68 (Tuesday, April 9, 2002)]
[Proposed Rules]
[Page 17018]
From the Federal Register Online via the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]
[FR Doc No: 02-8547]


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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. 67, No. 68 / Tuesday, April 9, 2002 / 
Proposed Rules  

[[Page 17018]]



DEPARTMENT OF AGRICULTURE

Agricultural Marketing Service

7 CFR Part 1219

[Docket No. FV-01-705 RO]


Hass Avocado Promotion, Research, and Information Order; 
Referendum Order

AGENCY: Agricultural Marketing Service, Agriculture.

ACTION: Referendum order.

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SUMMARY: This document directs that a referendum be conducted among 
eligible producers and importers of Hass avocados to determine whether 
they favor implementation of the Hass Avocado Promotion, Research, and 
Information Order (Order).

DATES: The registration period will be from May 13 through May 31, 
2002. The referendum will be conducted from June 24 to July 12, 2002. 
To vote in this referendum, current producers and importers must have 
produced or imported Hass avocados during the period from January 1, 
2000, through December 31, 2001 (two years).

ADDRESSES: Copies of the Order may be obtained from: Referendum Agent, 
Research and Promotion Branch (RP), Fruit and Vegetable Programs (FV), 
AMS, USDA, Stop 0244, Room 2535-S, 1400 Independence Avenue, SW., 
Washington, DC 20250-0244.

FOR FURTHER INFORMATION CONTACT: Julie A. Morin, RP, FV, AMS, USDA, 
Stop 0244, Room 2535-S, 1400 Independence Avenue, SW., Washington, DC 
20250-0244, telephone 888-720-9917 (toll free), fax 202-205-2800, e-
mail [email protected].

SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION: Pursuant to the Hass Avocado Promotion, 
Research, and Information Act (Act) [7 U.S.C. 7801-7813], it is hereby 
directed that a referendum be conducted to ascertain whether 
implementation of the Order is favored by Hass avocado producers and 
importers. The Order is authorized under the Act.
    The representative period for establishing voter eligibility for 
the referendum shall be the period from January 1, 2000, through 
December 31, 2001 (two years). Persons who are producers or importers 
of Hass avocados at the time of the referendum and during the 
representative period are eligible to vote. Producers and importers 
must register with the U.S. Department of Agriculture (Department) in 
order to receive a ballot to vote in the referendum. Registration will 
be conducted by mail and by fax. The referendum shall be conducted by 
mail ballot and by fax from June 24 through July 12, 2002. Ballots must 
be received by the referendum agent no later than July 12, 2002, to be 
counted.
    Section 1206(a) of the Act requires the Department to conduct a 
referendum prior to the Order's effective date and that the Order shall 
become effective only if it is determined that the Order has been 
approved by a simple majority of all votes cast in a referendum.
    In accordance with the Paperwork Reduction Act of 1995 [44 U.S.C. 
Chapter 35], the referendum ballot has been approved by the Office of 
Management and Budget (OMB) and assigned OMB No. 0581-0197. It is 
estimated that there are approximately 6,000 producers and 200 
importers who will be eligible to vote in the referendum. It will take 
an average of 15 minutes for each producer and importer to read the 
registration instructions and register for the referendum. It will take 
an average of 15 minutes for each registered producer and importer to 
read the voting instructions and complete the referendum ballot.

Referendum Order

    Julie A. Morin, Margaret B. Irby, and Martha B. Ransom, RP, FV, 
AMS, USDA, Stop 0244, Room 2535-S, 1400 Independence Avenue, SW., 
Washington, DC 20250-0244, are designated as the referendum agents to 
conduct this referendum. The referendum procedures [7 CFR 1219.100 
through 1219.109], which were issued pursuant to the Act, shall be used 
to conduct the referendum.
    The referendum agents will mail registration instructions to all 
known Hass avocado producers and importers in advance of the 
referendum. Any producer or importer who does not receive registration 
instructions should contact the referendum agents no later than one 
week before the end of the registration period. Prior to the first day 
of the voting period, the referendum agents will mail the ballots to be 
cast in the referendum and voting instructions to all registered 
voters. Persons who are producers or importers at the time of the 
referendum and during the representative period are eligible to vote. 
Any eligible producer or importer who does not receive a ballot should 
contact the referendum agents no later than one week before the end of 
the voting period. Ballots must be received by the referendum agents on 
or before July 12, 2002, to be counted.

List of Subjects in 7 CFR Part 1219

    Advertising, Agricultural research, Hass avocados, Imports, 
Reporting and recordkeeping requirements.

    Authority: 7 U.S.C. 7801-7813.

    Dated: April 3, 2002.
A.J. Yates,
Administrator, Agricultural Marketing Service.
[FR Doc. 02-8547 Filed 4-8-02; 8:45 am]
BILLING CODE 3410-02-P