[Federal Register Volume 81, Number 35 (Tuesday, February 23, 2016)]
[Rules and Regulations]
[Pages 8822-8823]
From the Federal Register Online via the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]
[FR Doc No: 2016-03805]


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DEPARTMENT OF AGRICULTURE

Agricultural Marketing Service

7 CFR Part 1217

[Document No. AMS-SC-15-0079]


Softwood Lumber Research, Promotion, Consumer Education and 
Industry Information Order; Continuance Referendum

AGENCY: Agricultural Marketing Service, USDA.

ACTION: Referendum order.

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SUMMARY: This document directs that a referendum be conducted among 
eligible domestic manufacturers and importers of softwood lumber to 
determine whether they favor continuance of the Softwood Lumber 
Research, Promotion, Consumer Education and Industry Information Order 
(Order).

DATES: The referendum will be conducted by mail ballot from August 1 
through 25, 2016. To be eligible to vote, softwood lumber manufacturers 
and importers must have domestically manufactured and shipped or 
imported 15 million board feet or more of softwood lumber during the 
representative period of January 1 through December 31, 2015, paid 
assessments during that period, and must currently be softwood lumber 
domestic manufacturers or importers subject to assessment under the 
Order. Ballots must be received by the referendum agents no later than 
the close of business on August 25, 2016, to be counted.

ADDRESSES: Copies of the Order may be obtained from: Referendum Agent,

[[Page 8823]]

Promotion and Economics Division, Specialty Crops Program, AMS, USDA, 
1400 Independence Avenue SW., Room 1406-S, Stop 0244, Washington, DC 
20250-0244, telephone: (202) 720-9915; facsimile: (202) 205-2800; or 
contact Maureen Pello at (503) 632-8848 or via electronic mail: 
[email protected].

FOR FURTHER INFORMATION CONTACT: Maureen Pello, Marketing Specialist, 
PED, SC, AMS, USDA, 1400 Independence Avenue SW., Room 1406-S, Stop 
0244, Washington, DC 20250-0244; telephone: (202) 720-9915, (503) 632-
8848 (direct line); facsimile: (202) 205-2800; or electronic mail: 
[email protected].

SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION: Pursuant to the Commodity Promotion, 
Research and Information Act of 1996 (7 U.S.C. 7411-7425) (Act), it is 
hereby directed that a referendum be conducted to ascertain whether 
continuance of the Order (7 CFR part 1217) is favored by eligible 
domestic manufacturers and importers of softwood lumber. The Order is 
authorized under the Act.
    The representative period for establishing voter eligibility for 
the referendum shall be the period from January 1 through December 31, 
2015. Persons who domestically manufactured and shipped or imported 15 
million board feet or more of softwood lumber during the representative 
period, paid assessments during that period, and are currently softwood 
lumber manufacturers or importers subject to assessment under the Order 
are eligible to vote. Persons who received an exemption from 
assessments for the entire representative period are ineligible to 
vote. The referendum will be conducted by mail ballot from August 1 
through 25, 2016.
    Section 518 of the Act authorizes continuance referenda. Under 
Sec.  1217.81(b) of the Order, the U.S. Department of Agriculture 
(USDA) must conduct a referendum 5 years after the program has been in 
effect to determine whether persons subject to assessment favor 
continuance of the Order. The program became effective in 2011. USDA 
would continue the Order if continuance is favored by a majority of the 
domestic manufacturers and importers voting in the referendum, who also 
represent a majority of the volume of softwood lumber represented in 
the referendum.
    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 has been 
estimated that there are approximately 170 domestic manufacturers and 
70 importers who will be eligible to vote in the referendum. It will 
take an average of 15 minutes for each voter to read the voting 
instructions and complete the referendum ballot.

Referendum Order

    Maureen Pello, Marketing Specialist, and Heather Pichelman, 
Director, PED, SC, AMS, USDA, Stop 0244, Room 1406-S, 1400 Independence 
Avenue SW., Washington, DC 20250-0244, are designated as the referendum 
agents to conduct this referendum. The referendum procedures at 7 CFR 
1217.100 through 1217.108, which were issued pursuant to the Act, shall 
be used to conduct the referendum.
    The referendum agent will mail the ballots to be cast in the 
referendum and voting instructions to all known, eligible domestic 
manufacturers and importers prior to the first day of the voting 
period. Persons who domestically manufactured and shipped or imported 
15 million board feet or more of softwood lumber during the 
representative period, paid assessments during that period, and are 
currently softwood lumber domestic manufacturers or importers subject 
to assessment under the Order are eligible to vote. Persons who 
received an exemption from assessments during the entire representative 
period are ineligible to vote. Any eligible domestic manufacturer or 
importer who does not receive a ballot should contact the referendum 
agent no later than one week before the end of the voting period. 
Ballots must be received by the referendum agent by 4:30 p.m. Eastern 
time, August 25, 2016, in order to be counted.

List of Subjects in 7 CFR Part 1217

    Administrative practice and procedure, Advertising, Consumer 
information, Marketing agreements, Promotion, Reporting and 
recordkeeping requirements, Softwood lumber.

    Authority: 7 U.S.C. 7411-7425; 7 U.S.C. 7401.

    Dated: February 18, 2016.
Elanor Starmer,
Acting Administrator, Agricultural Marketing Service.
[FR Doc. 2016-03805 Filed 2-22-16; 8:45 am]
BILLING CODE 3410-02-P