[Federal Register Volume 71, Number 102 (Friday, May 26, 2006)]
[Proposed Rules]
[Pages 30317-30318]
From the Federal Register Online via the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]
[FR Doc No: E6-8101]


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DEPARTMENT OF AGRICULTURE

Agricultural Marketing Service

7 CFR Part 1218

[Doc. No. FV-06-702-Notice]


Blueberry Promotion, Research, and Information Order; Continuance 
Referendum

AGENCY: Agricultural Marketing Service, Agriculture.

ACTION: Notice of a Continuance Referendum.

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SUMMARY: This notice directs that a referendum be conducted among the 
eligible producers and importers of blueberries to determine whether 
they favor continuance of the Blueberry Promotion, Research, and 
Information Order (Order).

DATES: This referendum will be conducted from August 1, 2006 through 
August 22, 2006. To vote in this referendum, producers and importers 
must have paid assessments on blueberries produced or imported during 
the representative period of November 1, 2004 through October 31, 2005.

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, telephone 888-720-9917 (toll free). Fax 202-
205-2800, e-mail [email protected].

SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION: Pursuant to the Commodity Promotion, 
Research, and Information Act of 1996 (Pub. L.

[[Page 30318]]

104-427, 7 U.S.C. 7401-7425) (Act), a referendum is to be conducted not 
later than seven years after assessments first begin under an order to 
ascertain whether continuance of the Order is favored by producers and 
importers of blueberries. The Order is authorized under the Act.
    The initial referendum was conducted during the period of March 13 
through April 14, 2000. The final results of the initial referendum 
were that 67.84 percent of the voters in the referendum favored 
implementation of the Order. Those voting in favor represented 73.15 
percent of the volume represented in the referendum. Therefore, the 
Order became effective July 17, 2000.
    Under Sec.  1218.71 of the Order, the Department of Agriculture 
(Department) is authorized to conduct a referendum every five years or 
when 10 percent or more of the eligible voters petition the Secretary 
of Agriculture to hold a referendum to determine if persons subject to 
assessment favor continuance of the Order. The Department would 
continue the Order if continuance of the Order is approved by a 
majority of the producers and importers voting in the referendum who 
also represent a majority of the volume of blueberries produced or 
imported during the representative period determined by the Secretary.
    The representative period for establishing voter eligibility for 
the referendum shall be the period from November 1, 2004 through 
October 31, 2005. Persons who are producers and importers of 
blueberries and paid assessments during the representative period are 
eligible to vote. Persons who received an exemption from assessments 
for the entire representative period are ineligible to vote. The 
referendum shall be conducted by mail from August 1, 2006 through 
August 22, 2006.
    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. 0581-0093. It is 
estimated that there are approximately 1,586 producers and 135 
importers who will be eligible to vote in the referendum. It will take 
an average of 25 minutes for each voter to read the voting instructions 
and complete the referendum ballot.

Referendum Order

    Deborah S. Simmons, Marlene M. Betts and Margaret B. Irby, RP, FV, 
AMS, USDA, Stop 0244, Room 2535-S, 1400 Independence Avenue, SW., 
Washington, DC 20250, are designated as the referendum agents to 
conduct this referendum. The referendum procedures 7 CFR 1218.100 
through 1218.107, which were issued pursuant to the Act, shall be used 
to conduct the referendum.
    The referendum agents will mail the ballots to be cast in the 
referendum and voting instructions to all known producers and importers 
prior to the first day of the voting period. Persons who are producers 
and importers and who paid assessments during the representative period 
are eligible to vote. Ballots must be received by the referendum agent 
beginning August 1, 2006, through 4:30 p.m., Eastern Daylight Savings 
Time, August 22, 2006, in order to be counted.

    Authority: 7 U.S.C. 7401-7425.

    Dated: May 22, 2006.
Lloyd C. Day,
Administrator, Agricultural Marketing Service.
 [FR Doc. E6-8101 Filed 5-25-06; 8:45 am]
BILLING CODE 3410-02-P