[Federal Register Volume 86, Number 33 (Monday, February 22, 2021)]
[Proposed Rules]
[Page 10459]
From the Federal Register Online via the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]
[FR Doc No: 2021-03470]


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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. 86, No. 33 / Monday, February 22, 2021 / 
Proposed Rules  

[[Page 10459]]



DEPARTMENT OF AGRICULTURE

Agricultural Marketing Service

7 CFR Part 1280

[Document No. AMS-LP-19-0093]
RIN 0581-AC06


Lamb Promotion, Research, and Information Order; Activity 
Changes; Comment Period Reopened

AGENCY: Agricultural Marketing Service, USDA.

ACTION: Proposed rule; reopening of comment period.

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SUMMARY: The Agricultural Marketing Service (AMS) is providing an 
additional 30 days for public comments on the proposed rule that would 
amend the Lamb Promotion, Research, and Information Order (Order). 
Reopening the comment period gives interested persons an additional 
opportunity to comment on the proposal. Comments are solicited from all 
stakeholders, notably those who would be impacted by the proposed 
amendments.

DATES: The comment period for the proposed rule published on October 5, 
2020, at 85 FR 62617, is reopened. Comments must be received by March 
24, 2021.

ADDRESSES: Comments should be posted online at www.regulations.gov. 
Comments received will be posted without change, including any personal 
information provided. All comments should reference the docket number 
AMS-LP-19-0093, the date of publication, and the page number of this 
issue of the Federal Register. Comments may also be sent to Jason 
Julian, Agricultural Marketing Specialist; Research and Promotion 
Division; Livestock and Poultry Program, AMS, USDA; Room 2610-S, STOP 
0251, 1400 Independence Avenue SW, Washington, DC 20250-0251. Comments 
will be made available for public inspection at the above address 
during regular business hours or via the internet at 
www.regulations.gov.

FOR FURTHER INFORMATION CONTACT: Jason Julian, Agricultural Marketing 
Specialist, Research and Promotion Division, Livestock and Poultry 
Program, AMS, USDA; telephone: (202) 731-2149; fax: (202) 720-1125; or 
email: [email protected].

SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION:

Background and Proposed Action

    AMS proposed revisions to the assessment collection procedures that 
would require market agencies to collect the full assessment on sales 
of live lambs, including the first-handler assessment portion, for 
remittance to the Board. The proposed assessment collection change 
would only apply to lambs sold through market agencies (e.g., 
commission merchant, auction market, or livestock market). Other modes 
of sale, such as traditional markets (e.g., first handler purchases 
from a producer or feeder, independent of a market agency, direct 
sales) would continue to have assessments remitted through the pass-
through collection process.
    This document notifies the public of the reopening of the comment 
period from February 22, 2021 to March 24, 2021. Comments previously 
submitted during the initial 60-day comment period [October 5, 2020, 
through December 4, 2020] need not be resubmitted, as these comments 
are already incorporated into the public record and will be considered 
in the final rule.

Public Comment Requested

    AMS received 11 comments from stakeholders during the initial 
sixty-day comment period. These comments represent the perspectives of 
various organizations and individuals within the stakeholder community 
and provided AMS additional context for decision making. AMS is 
reopening the comment period to encourage additional input on a topic 
identified by one commenter during the initial comment period.
    The commenter requested AMS consider allowing flexibility in the 
remittance of collected assessments by lower-volume or seasonal market 
agencies. The commenter suggested that requiring smaller market 
agencies to remit assessments every month, regardless of their sales 
volume, could be burdensome for those entities with very small volumes. 
The commenter asked AMS to consider additional flexibility for small 
market agencies by allowing them to remit accumulated assessments on a 
quarterly or annual basis. The proposed rule would require that 
remittances occur by the 15th day of the month following the month in 
which lambs were purchased for slaughter or export, regardless of sales 
volume for that month. The commenter suggested such flexibilities for 
small market agencies could be based on the average head of lamb sold 
annually, allowing markets below a specific threshold to remit on a 
quarterly or annual basis.
    AMS seeks additional information from stakeholders to consider this 
type of flexibility. AMS seeks comments on the following questions:
    1. What level or threshold should AMS consider as a low-volume 
market agency that might be eligible for additional flexibility?
    2. Approximately how many market agencies would fit into such a 
category?
    3. How would this type of flexibility reduce regulatory burden for 
those market agencies?
    AMS seeks input on other appropriate thresholds--such as monthly or 
quarterly sales volume--to identify market agencies that might be 
eligible for regulatory flexibility regarding assessment remittance 
under the amended regulations. Any comments should be supported by data 
that is clearly quantified and explained.

Bruce Summers,
Administrator, Agricultural Marketing Service.
[FR Doc. 2021-03470 Filed 2-19-21; 8:45 am]
BILLING CODE P