[Federal Register Volume 74, Number 137 (Monday, July 20, 2009)]
[Notices]
[Pages 35159-35160]
From the Federal Register Online via the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]
[FR Doc No: E9-17032]


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DEPARTMENT OF AGRICULTURE

Agricultural Marketing Service

[Doc. No. AMS-LS-09-0017]


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 February 2, 
2009, through February 27, 2009, 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 2628-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 February 2, 2009, 
through February 27, 2009, 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. Procedures used 
in conducting this referendum are set forth in 7 CFR part 1280, subpart 
E. A final rule amending this subpart was published in the December 16, 
2008, issue of the Federal Register (73 FR 76193).
    Of the 1,971 valid ballots cast, 1,678 (85.1 percent) favored and 
293 (14.9 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 93 percent of the total production 
voted, and those opposed account for 7 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 
2008 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 February 2, 2009, 
through February 27, 2009, 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, pay an 
additional $.30 cents per head on ovine animals purchased for 
slaughter. Importers are not assessed.

                                            State Referendum Results
                                  [February 2, 2009, through February 27, 2009]
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                                                               Votes                       Volume voted
----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
                      State                             Yes             No              Yes             No
----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Arizona.........................................               5               0          50,794               0
California......................................             126               5       1,099,775           9,188
Colorado........................................              60               7         950,095          18,590
Georgia.........................................               4               1             244              12
Idaho...........................................              38               1         144,237           1,625
Illinois........................................              26               5           2,689           1,022
Indiana.........................................              43               4           3,920             939
Iowa............................................              89              15         409,003           2,353
Kansas..........................................              28               7          13,445           1,496
Kentucky........................................              24               1           3,741             450
Maine...........................................              15               1             417               4
Maryland........................................               9               2           1,274             102
Massachusetts...................................               7               1             387              41
Michigan........................................              55               9          15,129           1,768
Minnesota.......................................              66              16          27,367           4,348
Missouri........................................              39               9           9,605             526
Montana.........................................             146              40         120,837          19,733
Nebraska........................................              25              10           5,575           2,112
Nevada..........................................               9               1          30,916           6,000
New Hampshire...................................               7               2             844             434
New Jersey......................................               6               0             377               0
New Mexico......................................              15               2           7,459              54
New York........................................              21              10           3,603           5,881
North Carolina..................................              24               1           2,042             307
North Dakota....................................              25              11           8,287           1,425
Ohio............................................             100              24          19,934           5,209

[[Page 35160]]

 
Oregon..........................................              51               9          37,179           4,373
Pennsylvania....................................              49              11           5,321          30,607
South Dakota....................................              92              43          69,216          82,413
Tennessee.......................................              22               3           1,215             110
Texas...........................................             158               6         203,437          47,536
Utah............................................              80               3         161,377           4,457
Virginia........................................              15               7           4,388             997
Washington......................................              35               0          23,677               0
West Virginia...................................              50               4           9,728             278
Wisconsin.......................................              28               6           4,232           4,438
Wyoming.........................................              72              11         212,224          11,406
Alabama, Alaska, Arkansas, Connecticut,                       14               5           6,092          10,407
 Delaware, Florida, Hawaii, Louisiana,
 Mississippi, Oklahoma, Rhode Island, South
 Carolina, & Vermont \1\........................
                                                 ---------------------------------------------------------------
    National Totals.............................           1,678             293       3,670,082         280,641
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\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 and 7 U.S.C. 7401.

    Dated: July 14, 2009.
David R. Shipman,
Acting Administrator, Agricultural Marketing Service.
[FR Doc. E9-17032 Filed 7-17-09; 8:45 am]
BILLING CODE 3410-02-P