[Federal Register Volume 85, Number 70 (Friday, April 10, 2020)]
[Proposed Rules]
[Page 20202]
From the Federal Register Online via the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]
[FR Doc No: 2020-07508]


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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. 85, No. 70 / Friday, April 10, 2020 / 
Proposed Rules  

[[Page 20202]]



DEPARTMENT OF AGRICULTURE

Agricultural Marketing Service

7 CFR Part 982

[Docket No. AO-SC-20-J-0011; AMS-SC-19-0082; SC19-984-1]


Walnuts Grown in California; Hearing on Proposed Amendment of 
Marketing Order No. 984; Correction

AGENCY: Agricultural Marketing Service, USDA.

ACTION: Notice of hearing on proposed rulemaking; correction.

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SUMMARY: The Agricultural Marketing Service (AMS), USDA, published a 
document in the Federal Register of February 11, 2020, announcing a 
public hearing to receive evidence on proposed amendments to Federal 
Marketing Order No. 984 (Order) regulating the handling of walnuts 
grown in California. The California Walnut Board (Board), which locally 
administers the Order, recommended proposed amendments that would add 
authority for the Board to provide credit for certain market promotion 
expenses paid by handlers against their annual assessments due under 
the Order and establish requirements to effectuate the new authority. 
In addition, AMS proposed to make changes to the Order as may be 
necessary to conform to any amendment that may result from the hearing. 
The date and method of the hearing have changed.

FOR FURTHER INFORMATION CONTACT: Melissa Schmaedick, Marketing Order 
and Agreement Division, Specialty Crops Program, AMS, USDA, Post Office 
Box 952, Moab, UT 84532; Telephone: (435) 265-5092, Fax: (435) 259-
1502, or Andrew Hatch, Marketing Order and Agreement Division, 
Specialty Crops Program, AMS, USDA, 1400 Independence Avenue SW, Stop 
0237, Washington, DC 20250-0237; Telephone: (202) 720-2491, Fax: (202) 
720-8938, or Email: [email protected] or 
[email protected].
    Small businesses may request information on this proceeding by 
contacting Richard Lower, Marketing Order and Agreement Division, 
Specialty Crops Program, AMS, USDA, 1400 Independence Avenue SW, Stop 
0237, Washington, DC 20250-0237; Telephone: (202) 720-2491, Fax: (202) 
720-8938, or Email: [email protected].

SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION: 

Correction

    In the Federal Register of February 11, 2020, in FR Doc. 2020-
02387, on page 7669, in the first column, correct the ``Dates'' and 
``Addresses'' captions to read:

DATES: The hearing will be held April 20, 2020, from 8:00 a.m. to 5:00 
p.m. Pacific Standard Time (PST) and, if deemed necessary by the 
presiding administrative law judge, will continue April 21, 2020, from 
8:00 a.m. until 5:00 p.m. PST or until any other such time as 
determined by the judge.

ADDRESSES: USDA will conduct the hearing remotely, without gathering in 
a central location, using the ZOOM audio-video conferencing system. 
Individuals will be able to testify before the administrative law judge 
for the hearing record through their own computer or any other 
technology that supports the ZOOM application. To participate remotely 
in the hearing via audio-video technology, participant's computers must 
have operating camera, microphone and audio functions. The on-line 
hearing location will be https://www.zoomgov.com/s/1601790781.
    For individuals who do not have access to a computer with operating 
camera, microphone and audio functions, cellular or land-line 
telephones may be used. To access the on-line hearing by telephone, 
participants may dial (669) 254-5252 or (646) 828-7666.
* * * * *

Additional Information

    AMS requests that individuals who would like to testify (witnesses) 
provide their name, phone number and email address to Melissa 
Schmaedick and Andrew Hatch of the Marketing Order and Agreement 
Division, Specialty Crops Program, AMS, USDA, whose contact information 
is listed in the FOR FURTHER INFORMATION CONTACT section above, by 5:00 
p.m. Eastern Standard Time (EST), April 15, 2020.
    Further, AMS requests all witnesses to submit electronic copies of 
any prepared statements and supporting documents via email to 
[email protected] also by 5:00 p.m. EST, April 15, 2020, so that 
they can be made public at the time of the hearing. These documents 
will be published to the AMS website at the following location https://www.ams.usda.gov/rules-regulations/walnuts-grown-california-hearing-proposed-amendment-marketing-order-no984.
    While not required, individuals wanting to participate as audience 
members may pre-register by providing their name, phone number and 
email address to Melissa Schmaedick and Andrew Hatch of the Marketing 
Order and Agreement Division, Specialty Crops Program, AMS, USDA, whose 
contact information is listed in the FOR FURTHER INFORMATION CONTACT 
section above, by 5:00 p.m. EST April 15, 2020.
    All pre-registered individuals will receive an invitation via email 
prior to the hearing. The invitation will include a link the 
individuals can click at the start of the hearing on April 20, 2020, 
and April 21, 2020. Individuals who choose not to pre-register may 
access the hearing on-line by cutting and pasting https://www.zoomgov.com/s/1601790781 into their web browser.
    Interested persons may visit https://www.ams.usda.gov/rules-regulations/walnuts-grown-california-hearing-proposed-amendment-marketing-order-no984 for further information on the use of Zoom 
technology and applicable guidelines and procedures for this remote 
hearing.
    The hearing will be transcribed by a court reporting service and 
will be recorded for USDA training purposes.

Bruce Summers,
Administrator, Agricultural Marketing Service.
[FR Doc. 2020-07508 Filed 4-9-20; 8:45 am]
 BILLING CODE P