[Federal Register Volume 79, Number 119 (Friday, June 20, 2014)]
[Notices]
[Pages 35381-35382]
From the Federal Register Online via the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]
[FR Doc No: 2014-14455]


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INTERNATIONAL TRADE COMMISSION

[Investigation No. 332-549]


Rice: Global Competitiveness of the U.S. Industry

AGENCY: United States International Trade Commission.

ACTION: Institution of investigation and scheduling of hearing.

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SUMMARY: Following receipt on May 15, 2014, of a request from the 
Committee on Ways and Means (Committee) of the House of Representatives 
under section 332(g) of the Tariff Act of 1930 (19 U.S.C. 1332(g)), the 
U.S. International Trade Commission (Commission) instituted 
investigation No. 332-549, Rice: Global Competitiveness of the U.S. 
Industry.

DATES: 
August 26, 2014: Deadline for filing requests to appear at the public 
hearing.
September 2, 2014: Deadline for filing prehearing briefs and 
statements.
September 10, 2014: Public hearing.
September 17, 2014: Deadline for filing posthearing briefs and 
statements.
December 9, 2014: Deadline for filing all other written submissions.
April 14, 2015: Transmittal of Commission report to the Committee.

ADDRESSES: All Commission offices, including the Commission's hearing 
rooms, are located in the United States International Trade Commission 
Building, 500 E Street SW., Washington, DC. All written submissions 
should be addressed to the Secretary, United States International Trade 
Commission, 500 E Street SW., Washington, DC 20436. The public record 
for this investigation may be viewed on the Commission's electronic 
docket (EDIS) at http://www.usitc.gov/secretary/edis.htm.

FOR FURTHER INFORMATION CONTACT:  Project leader John Giamalva (202-
205-3329 or [email protected]) or deputy project leader Marin 
Weaver (202-205-3461 or [email protected]) for information 
specific to this investigation. For information on the legal aspects of 
this investigation, contact William Gearhart of the Commission's Office 
of the General Counsel (202-205-3091 or [email protected]). 
The media should contact Margaret O'Laughlin, Office of External 
Relations (202-205-1819 or [email protected]). Hearing-
impaired individuals may obtain information on this matter by 
contacting the Commission's TDD terminal at 202-205-1810. General 
information concerning the Commission may also be obtained by accessing 
its Internet server (http://www.usitc.gov). Persons with mobility 
impairments who will need special assistance in gaining access to the 
Commission should contact the Office of the Secretary at 202-205-2000.
    Background: As requested by the Committee, the Commission will 
conduct an investigation and prepare a report on the factors affecting 
the global competitiveness of the U.S. rice industry. As requested and 
to the extent that information is publicly available, the report will 
include the following:
    1. An overview of the rice industry in the United States and other 
major global producing and exporting countries (such as China, India, 
Indonesia, Thailand, Vietnam, Uruguay, and Brazil), including 
production of rice, processing volumes, processing capacity, carry-over 
inventory, and consumption;
    2. Information on recent trade trends and developments in the 
global market for rice, including U.S. and major foreign supplier 
imports and exports;
    3. A comparison of the competitive strengths and weaknesses of rice 
production and exports in the United States and other major exporting 
countries, including such factors as producer revenue and costs of 
production, industry structure, input prices and availability, 
processing technology, product innovation, exchange rates, pricing, and 
market regimes, as well as government policies and programs that 
directly or indirectly

[[Page 35382]]

affect rice production and exporting in these countries;
    4. A qualitative and, to the extent possible, quantitative 
assessment of the impact of government policies and programs of major 
producing and exporting countries on their rice production, exports, 
consumption, and domestic prices, as well as on rice prices globally; 
and
    5. an overview of the impact on the U.S. rice industry of exports 
from the highlighted countries of rice to the United States and to 
traditional export markets of the United States such as, but not 
limited to, Mexico, Haiti, and West Africa.

The Committee asked that the report focus primarily on the period 2009-
2013 and that the Commission deliver its report no later than 11 months 
following the receipt of this request. The Committee also stated that 
it intends to make the Commission's report public and asked that the 
report not include any confidential business information.
    Public Hearing: The Commission will hold a public hearing in 
connection with this investigation at the U.S. International Trade 
Commission Building, 500 E Street SW., Washington, DC, beginning at 
9:30 a.m. on Wednesday, September 10, 2014. Requests to appear at the 
public hearing should be filed with the Secretary not later than 5:15 
p.m., August 26, 2014, in accordance with the requirements in the 
``Submissions'' section below. All prehearing briefs and statements 
should be filed with the Secretary not later than 5:15 p.m., September 
2, 2014; and all posthearing briefs and statements responding to 
matters raised at the hearing should be filed with the Secretary not 
later than 5:15 p.m., September 17, 2014. All hearing-related briefs 
and statements should be filed in accordance with the requirements for 
filing written submissions set out below. In the event that, as of the 
close of business on August 26, 2014, no witnesses are scheduled to 
appear at the hearing, the hearing will be canceled. Any person 
interested in attending the hearing as an observer or nonparticipant 
may call the Office of the Secretary (202-205-2000) after August 26, 
2014, for information concerning whether the hearing will be held.
    Written Submissions: In lieu of, or in addition to, participating 
in the hearing, interested parties are invited to file written 
submissions concerning this investigation. All written submissions 
should be addressed to the Secretary, and all such submissions (other 
than prehearing and posthearing briefs and statements) should be 
received not later than 5:15 p.m., December 9, 2014. All written 
submissions must conform with the provisions of section 201.8 of the 
Commission's Rules of Practice and Procedure (19 CFR 201.8). Section 
201.8 and the Commission's Handbook on Filing Procedures require that 
interested parties file documents electronically on or before the 
filing deadline and submit eight (8) true paper copies by 12:00 p.m. 
eastern time on the next business day. In the event that confidential 
treatment of a document is requested, interested parties must file, at 
the same time as the eight paper copies, at least four (4) additional 
true paper copies in which the confidential information must be deleted 
(see the following paragraph for further information regarding 
confidential business information). Persons with questions regarding 
electronic filing should contact the Secretary (202-205-2000).
    Any submissions that contain confidential business information must 
also conform with the requirements of section 201.6 of the Commission's 
Rules of Practice and Procedure (19 CFR 201.6). Section 201.6 of the 
rules requires that the cover of the document and the individual pages 
be clearly marked as to whether they are the ``confidential'' or 
``nonconfidential'' version, and that the confidential business 
information be clearly identified by means of brackets. All written 
submissions, except for confidential business information, will be made 
available for inspection by interested parties.
    In the request letter, the Committee stated that it intends to make 
the Commission's report available to the public in its entirety, and 
asked that the Commission not include any confidential business 
information in the report it sends to the Committee. Any confidential 
business information received by the Commission in this investigation 
and used in preparing this report will not be published in a manner 
that would reveal the operations of the firm supplying the information.

    By order of the Commission.

    Issued: June 17, 2014.
Lisa R. Barton,
Secretary to the Commission.
[FR Doc. 2014-14455 Filed 6-19-14; 8:45 am]
BILLING CODE 7020-02-P