[Federal Register Volume 73, Number 5 (Tuesday, January 8, 2008)]
[Notices]
[Pages 1314-1316]
From the Federal Register Online via the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]
[FR Doc No: E8-35]


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 Notices
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 This section of the FEDERAL REGISTER contains documents other than rules 
 or proposed rules that are applicable to the public. Notices of hearings 
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  Federal Register / Vol. 73, No. 5 / Tuesday, January 8, 2008 / 
Notices  

[[Page 1314]]



DEPARTMENT OF AGRICULTURE

Commodity Credit Corporation


Cane Sugar and Beet Sugar Marketing Allotments and Company 
Allocations, 2006-Crop Final and 2007-Crop Initial; Domestic Sugar 
Program

AGENCY: Commodity Credit Corporation, USDA.

ACTION: Notice.

-----------------------------------------------------------------------

SUMMARY: The Commodity Credit Corporation (CCC) is issuing this notice 
to publish the final 2006-crop cane state allotments and company 
allocations to sugarcane and sugar beet processors for the period from 
October 1, 2006 through September 30, 2007 (fiscal year (FY) 2007). 
This notice also publishes the 2007-crop (FY 2008) cane state 
allotments and company allocations based on an 8.450 million short 
tons, raw value (STRV) overall allotment quantity (OAQ) of domestic 
sugar. This applies to all domestic sugar marketed for human 
consumption in the United States from October 1, 2007, through 
September 30, 2008.

FOR FURTHER INFORMATION CONTACT: Barbara Fecso, Dairy and Sweeteners 
Analysis Group, Economic Policy and Analysis Staff, Farm Service 
Agency, USDA, 1400 Independence Avenue, SW., STOP 0516, Washington, DC 
20250-0516; telephone (202) 720-4146; FAX (202) 690-1480; e-mail: 
[email protected].

SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION:

Background

    As part of the domestic sugar program, for sugar marketed for human 
consumption in the United States, CCC is required to make 
determinations establishing, adjusting, or suspending sugar marketing 
allotments. The Secretary is required to establish, by the beginning of 
each crop year, an appropriate allotment for the marketing by 
processors of sugar processed from sugar beets and from domestically 
produced cane sugar at a level the Secretary estimates will result in 
no forfeitures of sugar to the CCC under the loan program \1\ (7 U.S.C. 
1359bb(a)(1)). The Secretary is also required to publish the 
determinations in the Federal Register along with the reasons for the 
determinations (7 U.S.C. 1359hh).
---------------------------------------------------------------------------

    \1\ The sugar loan program provides loans to processors of 
domestically grown sugarcane and sugar beets (authorized by 7 U.S.C. 
7272).
---------------------------------------------------------------------------

    CCC announced the Final FY 2007 and initial FY 2008 allotments and 
allocations in a September 27, 2007, news release. This notice provides 
the final allotments and allocations for FY 2007 and the initial 
allotments and allocations for FY 2008.

Final FY 2007 State Allotments and Company Allocations

    The Secretary is required to reassign the remainder of the 
allocation to imports if the Secretary determines that processors will 
be unable to market their allocations after other reassignments and 
sales from CCC inventory have occurred (7 U.S.C. 1359ee(b)(1)(D)). In a 
July 31, 2007, news release, CCC announced the determination of a FY 
2007 domestic cane sugar supply shortfall of 79,000 STRV and reassigned 
this deficit to imports. State allotments and company allocations were 
adjusted downward to reflect the ability of each company and each state 
to market its allocation and allotment.
    The final 2006-crop (FY 2007) beet sugar and cane sugar marketing 
allotments are listed in the following table:

                      FY 2007 Overall Beet Sugar and Cane Sugar Allotments and Allocations
----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
                                                                 FY 2007
                                                              allotments or    Changes due to     Final FY 2007
                       Distribution                          allocations as     reassignments     allotments or
                                                               of 5/25/07                          allocations
----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Beet Sugar................................................         4,755,625                 0         4,755,625
Cane Sugar................................................         3,619,375           -79,000         3,540,375
Reassignment to Imports...................................           375,000            79,000           454,000
                                                           -----------------------------------------------------
    Total OAQ.............................................         8,750,000                 0         8,750,000
Sugar Beet Processors' Marketing Allocations:
    Amalgamated Sugar Co..................................           990,810                 0           990,810
    American Crystal Sugar Co.............................         1,828,960                 0         1,828,960
    Michigan Sugar Co.....................................           477,920                 0           477,920
    Minn-Dak Farmers Co-op................................           296,690                 0           296,690
    So. Minn Beet Sugar Co-op.............................           624,582                 0           624,582
    Western Sugar Co......................................           473,221                 0           473,221
    Wyoming Sugar Co......................................            63,441                 0            63,441
                                                           -----------------------------------------------------
        Total Beet Sugar..................................         4,755,625                 0         4,755,625
State Cane Sugar Allotments:
    Florida...............................................         1,732,769           -17,282         1,715,487
    Louisiana.............................................         1,423,167           -21,916         1,401,251
    Texas.................................................           198,965           -18,347           180,618

[[Page 1315]]

 
    Hawaii................................................           264,474           -21,455           243,019
                                                           -----------------------------------------------------
        Total Cane Sugar..................................         3,619,375           -79,000         3,540,375
Cane Processors' Marketing Allocations:
    Florida:
        Florida Crystals..................................           673,033            -3,081           669,952
        Growers Co-op. of FL..............................           323,322                 8           323,330
        U.S. Sugar Corp...................................           736,414           -14,209           722,205
                                                           -----------------------------------------------------
            Total.........................................         1,732,769           -17,282         1,715,487
    Louisiana:
        Alma Plantation...................................           128,232            -1,976           126,256
        Cajun Sugar Co-op.................................           119,059             1,448           120,507
        Cora-Texas Mfg. Co................................           168,731            -2,600           166,131
        Lafourche Sugars Corp.............................            92,794             3,457            96,251
        Louisiana Sugarcane Co-op.........................            99,818            -1,567            98,251
        Lula Westfield, LLC...............................           206,718            -7,347           199,371
        M.A. Patout & Sons................................           426,889            -6,579           420,310
        St. Mary Sugar Co-op..............................           126,000            -5,905           120,095
So. Louisiana Sugars Co-op................................            54,927              -847            54,080
                                                           -----------------------------------------------------
            Total.........................................         1,423,167           -21,916         1,401,251
    Texas:
        Rio Grande Valley.................................           198,965           -18,347           180,618
    Hawaii:
        Gay & Robinson, Inc...............................            53,811                 0            53,811
        Hawaiian Commercial & Sugar Company...............           210,663           -21,455           189,208
                                                           -----------------------------------------------------
            Total.........................................           264,474           -21,455           243,019
----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------

Initial FY 2008 State Allotments and Company Allocations

    When CCC announced an 8.450 million ton STRV OAQ in an August 10, 
2007, news release, it distributed 54.35 percent of the FY 2008 OAQ 
(4,592,575 STRV) to the beet sugar allotment. At that time, however, 
CCC determined that the cane sugar sector would be unable to fill 
70,000 STRV of its allotment and withheld this amount for reassignment 
to imports. Consequently, of the 45.65 percent of the OAQ statutorily 
allotted to the cane sugar sector (3,857,425 STRV), only 3,787,425 STRV 
was allotted to cane sugar states for allocation to sugarcane 
processors. Cane sugar state allotments and processor allocations were 
announced by CCC in a September 27, 2007 news release.

Reasons for the Determinations for the Initial FY 2008 Allotments and 
Allocations

    To establish sugar beet processor allocations, CCC applies the 
sugar beet sector's allotment to fixed company allocation shares. 
Likewise, cane sugar state and cane sugar processor allocations are 
calculated by applying fixed shares to the cane sugar allotment. 
Allocation shares will change only if CCC determines that a processor 
cannot fulfill its sugar allocation and reassigns the unused allocation 
to other processors or if a grower successfully transfers allocation 
commensurate with his production history to another processor.
    CCC determined that South Louisiana Sugars Cooperative, Inc., a 
Louisiana sugarcane processor, was closed and accepted grower petitions 
to transfer allocation elsewhere. Permanent allocation transfers in 
Louisiana could not be made by the September 30, 2007, announcement 
deadline for FY 2008 allocations, but will be forthcoming.
    CCC is required to limit the amount of sugarcane acreage that may 
be harvested in Louisiana for sugar or seed whenever marketing 
allotments are in effect and the quantity of sugarcane estimated to be 
produced in Louisiana, plus a reasonable carryover, exceeds the 
marketing allotment allocation for Louisiana. This limitation is 
referred to as a ``proportionate share,'' and is applied to each farm's 
sugarcane acreage base to determine the quantity of sugarcane that may 
be harvested on that farm. Because production is expected to be 
inadequate to fill Louisiana's FY 2008 allotment, CCC determined that 
there will be no proportionate share restrictions for the 2007 crop 
year.
    In FY 2004, CCC determined that Puerto Rico's processors 
permanently terminated operations because no sugar had been processed 
for two complete years. Since Puerto Rico is entitled to an allocation 
by law, its allocation of 6,356 STRV is reassigned to the mainland cane 
sugar-producing states. Hawaii did not receive any of Puerto Rico's 
reassignment because it is not expected to use all of its current cane 
sugar allotment. A request for an allocation as a new entrant will be 
required for any mills in Puerto Rico to market cane sugar in the 
future.
    The established 2007-crop (FY 2008) sugar beet and cane sugar 
marketing allotments are listed in the following table:

[[Page 1316]]



                      FY 2008 Overall Beet Sugar and Cane Sugar Allotments and Allocations
----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
                                                                                                Adjusted initial
                                                             Initial FY 2008   Changes due to        FY 2008
                       Distribution                           allotments or     reassignments     allotments or
                                                               allocations                         allocations
----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Beet Sugar................................................         4,592,575                 0         4,592,575
Cane Sugar................................................         3,857,425           -70,000         3,787,425
Reassignment to Imports...................................                 0            70,000            70,000
                                                           -----------------------------------------------------
    Total OAQ.............................................         8,450,000                 0         8,450,000
Beet Processors' Marketing Allocations:
    Amalgamated Sugar Co..................................           956,839                 0           956,839
    American Crystal Sugar Co.............................         1,766,076                 0         1,766,076
    Michigan Sugar Co.....................................           461,535                 0           461,535
    Minn-Dak Farmers Co-op................................           286,518                 0           286,518
    So. Minn Beet Sugar Co-op.............................           603,168                 0           603,168
    Western Sugar Co......................................           457,172                 0           457,172
    Wyoming Sugar Co......................................            61,266                 0            61,266
                                                           -----------------------------------------------------
        Total Beet Sugar..................................         4,592,575                 0         4,592,575
State Cane Sugar Allotments:
    Florida...............................................         1,902,014           -81,411         1,820,603
    Louisiana.............................................         1,471,422             2,155         1,473,577
    Texas.................................................           165,345            32,755           198,100
    Hawaii................................................           318,644           -23,499           295,145
                                                           -----------------------------------------------------
        Total Cane Sugar..................................         3,857,425           -70,000         3,787,425
Cane Processors' Marketing Allocations:
    Florida:
        Florida Crystals..................................           783,109           -45,673           737,436
        Growers Co-op. of FL..............................           342,144           -12,101           330,043
        U.S. Sugar Corp...................................           776,761           -23,636           753,124
                                                           -----------------------------------------------------
            Total.........................................         1,902,014           -81,411         1,820,603
    Louisiana:
        Alma Plantation...................................           123,219            14,061           137,280
        Cajun Sugar Co-op.................................           148,785           -26,285           122,500
        Cora-Texas Mfg. Co................................           153,514            36,367           189,881
        Lafourche Sugars Corp.............................            80,143            29,574           109,717
        Louisiana Sugarcane Co-op.........................           113,143           -14,018            99,124
        Lula Westfield, LLC...............................           173,759            57,850           231,608
        M.A. Patout & Sons................................           413,376            33,590           446,966
        St. Mary Sugar Co-op..............................           149,867           -13,367           136,500
        So. Louisiana Sugars Co-op........................           115,617          -115,617                 0
                                                           -----------------------------------------------------
            Total.........................................         1,471,422             2,155         1,473,577
    Texas:
        Rio Grande Valley.................................           165,345            32,755           198,100
    Hawaii:
        Gay & Robinson, Inc...............................            73,145            -1,718            71,428
        Hawaiian Commercial & Sugar Company...............           245,499           -21,781           223,718
                                                           -----------------------------------------------------
            Total.........................................           318,644           -23,499           295,145
----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------


    Signed in Washington, DC, on January 2, 2008.
Glen L. Keppy,
Acting Executive Vice President, Commodity Credit Corporation.
[FR Doc. E8-35 Filed 1-7-08; 8:45 am]
BILLING CODE 3410-05-P