[Federal Register Volume 82, Number 32 (Friday, February 17, 2017)]
[Proposed Rules]
[Page 10966]
From the Federal Register Online via the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]
[FR Doc No: 2017-03252]


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 Proposed Rules
                                                 Federal Register
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 This section of the FEDERAL REGISTER contains notices to the public of 
 the proposed issuance of rules and regulations. The purpose of these 
 notices is to give interested persons an opportunity to participate in 
 the rule making prior to the adoption of the final rules.
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  Federal Register / Vol. 82, No. 32 / Friday, February 17, 2017 / 
Proposed Rules  

[[Page 10966]]



DEPARTMENT OF AGRICULTURE

Agricultural Marketing Service

7 CFR Part 46

[Doc. No. AMS-FV-15-0045]


Regulations Under the Perishable Agricultural Commodities Act 
(PACA): Growers' Trust Protection Eligibility and Clarification of 
``Written Notification''

AGENCY: Agricultural Marketing Service, USDA.

ACTION: Extension of comment period.

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SUMMARY: Notice is hereby given that the comment period for the 
proposed rule published in the Federal Register on December 14, 2016 
(81 FR 90255), is extended until March 15, 2017. The rule invited 
comments on proposed amendments to the regulations under the Perishable 
Agricultural Commodities Act (PACA) that would clarify how growers and 
other principals may preserve their PACA trust rights. The proposed 
amendments would also provide guidance on the type of notification 
required to initiate U.S. Department of Agriculture (USDA) 
investigations of alleged PACA violations.

DATES: Written or electronic comments received by March 15, 2017, will 
be considered prior to issuance of a final rule.

ADDRESSES: Interested persons are invited to submit comments via the 
Internet at: http://www.regulations.gov. Comments may also be submitted 
to ``PACA Regulatory Enhancements,'' AMS, Specialty Crops Program, PACA 
Division, 1400 Independence Avenue SW., Room 1510-S, Stop 0242, 
Washington, DC 20250-0242; or fax: (202) 690-4413. All comments should 
reference the document number and the dates and page numbers of the 
December 14, 2016, issue and this issue of the Federal Register. All 
comments received will be posted online without change, including any 
personal information provided, and will be made available for public 
inspection at the above physical address during regular business hours.

FOR FURTHER INFORMATION CONTACT: Josephine E. Jenkins, Chief, 
Investigative Enforcement Branch, (202) 720-6873; or 
[email protected].

SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION: The PACA trust provisions protect 
participants trading in fruits and vegetables by improving their 
chances of recovering money owed them when buyers default. A proposed 
rule regarding amendments to the PACA regulations was published in the 
Federal Register on December 14, 2016 (81 FR 90255). The Agricultural 
Marketing Service (AMS) proposed the amendments to clarify how growers 
and other produce sellers in the marketing chain can preserve their 
PACA trust rights and how they can notify USDA of the need for 
investigations into alleged violations of PACA regulations.
    The 60-day comment period provided in the proposed rule would have 
closed February 13, 2017. The comment period for the proposed rule is 
extended until March 15, 2017. AMS is extending the public comment 
period for an additional 30 days to ensure that interested persons have 
sufficient time to review and comment on the proposed rule.

    Authority: 7 U.S.C. 499a-499t.

    Dated: February 14, 2017.
Bruce Summers,
Acting Administrator, Agricultural Marketing Service.
[FR Doc. 2017-03252 Filed 2-16-17; 8:45 am]
BILLING CODE 3410-02-P