[Federal Register Volume 70, Number 85 (Wednesday, May 4, 2005)]
[Notices]
[Pages 23088-23089]
From the Federal Register Online via the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]
[FR Doc No: 05-8829]


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DEPARTMENT OF AGRICULTURE

Agricultural Marketing Service

[No. LS-05-05]


Lamb Promotion, Research, and Information Program

AGENCY: Agricultural Marketing Service, USDA.

ACTION: Notice.

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SUMMARY: The Agricultural Marketing Service (AMS) is announcing that 
lamb producers, feeders, seedstock producers, and first handlers of 
lamb and lamb products voting in a national referendum from January 31, 
2005, through February 28, 2005, have approved the continuation of the 
Lamb Promotion, Research, and Information Order (Order).

FOR FURTHER INFORMATION CONTACT: Kenneth R. Payne, Chief; Marketing 
Programs Branch, Livestock and Seed Program; Agricultural Marketing 
Service (AMS), USDA, Room 2638-S; STOP 0251; 1400 Independence Avenue, 
SW.; Washington, DC 20250-0251, telephone number 202/720-1115, fax 
number 202/720-1125, or by e-mail at: [email protected].

SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION: Pursuant to the Commodity Promotion, 
Research, and Information Act of 1996 (Act) (7 U.S.C. 7411-7425), the 
Department of Agriculture conducted a referendum from January 31, 2005, 
through February 28, 2005, among eligible lamb producers, feeders, 
seedstock producers, and first handlers of lamb and lamb products to 
determine if the Order would continue to be effective. A final rule was 
published in the December 27, 2004, Federal Register (69 FR 22570) 
outlining the procedures for conducting the referendum.
    Of the 3,490 valid ballots cast, 2,807 (80 percent) favored and 683 
(20

[[Page 23089]]

percent) opposed the continuation of the Order. Additionally, of those 
persons who cast valid ballots in the referendum, those who favored the 
Order accounted for 84 percent of the total production voted, and those 
opposed account for 16 percent of the total production voted. For the 
program to continue, it must have been approved by at least a majority 
of those persons voting for approval who were engaged in the 
production, feeding, or slaughter of lambs during calendar year 2004 
and who also represent a majority of the volume of lambs produced, fed, 
or slaughtered.
    Therefore, based on the referendum results, the Secretary of 
Agriculture has determined that the required majority of eligible 
voters who voted in the nationwide referendum from January 31, 2005, 
through February 29, 2005, voted to continue the Order. As a result, 
the Lamb Checkoff Program will continue to be funded by a mandatory 
assessment on producers, seedstock producers (breeders), feeders, and 
exporters at the rate of one-half cent ($.005) per pound when live 
ovine animals are sold. The first handler, primarily packers, will pay 
an additional $.30 cents per head on ovine animals purchased for 
slaughter. Importers are not assessed.
    In accordance with Paperwork Reduction Act (44 U.S.C. Chapter 35), 
the information collection requirements have been approved under OMB 
number 0581-0227.

                                            State Referendum Results
                                  [January 31, 2005, through February 28, 2005]
----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
                                                                        Votes                 Volume voted
                            State                            ---------------------------------------------------
                                                                  Yes           No          Yes           No
----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Alabama.....................................................            4            1        1,726           28
California..................................................          121           13      938,954       15,290
Colorado....................................................           85           21    1,145,615       32,640
Idaho.......................................................           90           15      165,453       47,423
Illinois....................................................           77           27       10,097        6,736
Indiana.....................................................           79           14        9,422        1,360
Iowa........................................................          161           52      456,999       53,520
Kansas......................................................           45           22       11,155       21,163
Kentucky....................................................           44            7        5,257          577
Maryland....................................................            9            3        1,090       18,747
Massachusetts...............................................            6            2          324        4,110
Michigan....................................................          126           10       28,562        3,570
Minnesota...................................................          161           40       65,332       15,325
Missouri....................................................           65           12       10,090        2,824
Montana.....................................................          303           96      208,964       54,740
N. Carolina.................................................           27            1        2,429          195
N. Dakota...................................................           59           19       29,384       17,940
Nebraska....................................................           42           23       19,520        9,312
Nevada......................................................            8            5       20,977        5,187
New Hampshire...............................................           11            1          583          300
New Mexico..................................................           38            5       70,898        8,220
New York....................................................           70           11       12,258        2,793
Ohio........................................................          158           43       28,952       11,213
Oklahoma....................................................           18           11        2,335        9,226
Oregon......................................................           68           17       44,483       13,227
Pennsylvania................................................           54           15        8,408       22,093
S. Dakota...................................................          148           91       85,167      132,898
Tennessee...................................................           54            2        3,137          125
Texas.......................................................          217           26      270,713      219,081
Utah........................................................           73            7      136,917        8,055
Vermont.....................................................           17            1        2,406          350
Virginia....................................................           48            9        5,389        1,093
West Virginia...............................................           70            5       10,095          544
Wisconsin...................................................           58           16       11,903        5,325
Wyoming.....................................................           99           39      236,568       54,721
Alaska, Arizona, Arkansas, Connecticut, Delaware, Florida,             94            1      160,352           20
 Georgia, Hawaii, Louisiana, Maine, Mississippi, New Jersey,
 Puerto Rico, Rhode Island, South Carolina, and Washington
 \1\........................................................
                                                             --------------
    National Totals.........................................        2,807          683    4,221,914     799,971
----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
\1\ To ensure the confidentiality of the voting process, the results of States in which there were not at least
  3 votes in total with a minimum of one vote in each category are combined for the purpose of this report.


    Authority: 7 U.S.C. 7411-7425.

    Dated: April 28, 2005.
Kenneth C. Clayton,
Acting Administrator, Agricultural Marketing Service.
[FR Doc. 05-8829 Filed 5-3-05; 8:45 am]
BILLING CODE 3410-02-P