[Federal Register Volume 86, Number 126 (Tuesday, July 6, 2021)]
[Proposed Rules]
[Page 35409]
From the Federal Register Online via the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]
[FR Doc No: 2021-14280]


 ========================================================================
 Proposed Rules
                                                 Federal Register
 ________________________________________________________________________
 
 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.
 
 ========================================================================
 

  Federal Register / Vol. 86, No. 126 / Tuesday, July 6, 2021 / 
Proposed Rules  

[[Page 35409]]



DEPARTMENT OF AGRICULTURE

Agricultural Marketing Service

7 CFR Part 986

[Doc. No. AMS-SC-20-0081; SC20-986-2 CR]


Pecans Grown in the States of Alabama, Arkansas, Arizona, 
California, Florida, Georgia, Kansas, Louisiana, Missouri, Mississippi, 
North Carolina, New Mexico, Oklahoma, South Carolina, and Texas; 
Continuance Referendum; Reopening of Voting Period

AGENCY: Agricultural Marketing Service, USDA.

ACTION: Referendum order; amendment to referendum order.

-----------------------------------------------------------------------

SUMMARY: This document reopens the voting period for the referendum 
being conducted among eligible growers of pecans grown in the states of 
Alabama, Arkansas, Arizona, California, Florida, Georgia, Kansas, 
Louisiana, Missouri, Mississippi, North Carolina, New Mexico, Oklahoma, 
South Carolina, and Texas to determine whether they favor continuance 
of the marketing order regulating the handling of pecans produced in 
the production area. The voting period has been reopened for an 
additional 25 days from June 29, 2021, to July 23, 2021.

DATES: The voting period for the referendum will be reopened from June 
29 through July 23, 2021. Only current pecan growers within the 
production area that produced a minimum average of 50,000 pounds of 
inshell pecans over the four years from October 1, 2016, to September 
30, 2020, or own a minimum of 30 pecan acres are eligible to vote in 
this referendum.

ADDRESSES: Copies of the marketing order may be obtained from the 
Southeast Marketing Field Office, Marketing Order and Agreement 
Division, Specialty Crops Program, AMS, USDA, 1124 First Street South, 
Winter Haven, FL 33880; Telephone: (863) 324-3375; or from the 
Marketing Order and Agreement Division, Specialty Crops Program, AMS, 
USDA, 1400 Independence Avenue SW, Stop 0237, Washington, DC 20250-
0237; Telephone: (202) 720-2491; or on the internet: https://www.ecfr.gov/cgi-bin/text-idx?SID=cf046522bce89ba62d75961df4db8b6d&mc=true&node=pt7.8.986&rgn=div5
.

FOR FURTHER INFORMATION CONTACT: Abigail Campos, Marketing Specialist, 
or Christian D. Nissen, Regional Director, Southeast Marketing Field 
Office, Marketing Order and Agreement Division, Specialty Crops 
Program, AMS, USDA, 1124 First Street South, Winter Haven, FL 33880; 
Telephone: (863) 324-3375, Fax: (863) 291-8614, or Email: 
[email protected] or [email protected].

SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION: Pursuant to Marketing Agreement and Order 
No. 986, as amended (7 CFR part 986), hereinafter referred to as the 
``Order,'' and the applicable provisions of the Agricultural Marketing 
Agreement Act of 1937, as amended (7 U.S.C. 601-674), hereinafter 
referred to as the ``Act,'' it is hereby directed that a referendum be 
conducted to ascertain whether continuance of the Order is favored by 
growers.
    A referendum order was published in the Federal Register on April 
13, 2021 (86 FR 19152). The referendum order specified that the voting 
period would be from June 7, 2021, through June 28, 2021. USDA has 
received requests from industry members to extend the voting period as 
not all eligible growers had received ballots and needed additional 
time to request one prior to the end of the voting period. Therefore, 
to facilitate full grower participation in the referendum, USDA is 
reopening the voting period from June 29 through July 23, 2021. During 
this time, USDA will continue to mail ballots to eligible voters who 
request a ballot. All ballots received during the previous voting 
period and the reopened voting period will be accepted. Voters who have 
already submitted a ballot need to take no further action.
    To be eligible to participate in the continuance referendum, a 
grower must have produced a minimum average of 50,000 pounds of inshell 
pecans during the four-year period from October 1, 2016, to September 
30, 2020 or must own a minimum of 30 pecan acres.
    USDA has determined continuance referenda are an effective means 
for determining whether growers favor the continuation of marketing 
order programs. The Order will continue in effect if two-thirds of the 
growers that cast votes, or growers representing two-thirds of the 
volume of pecans voted in the referendum, cast ballots in favor of 
continuance. In evaluating the merits of continuance versus 
termination, USDA will determine whether continued operation of the 
Order would tend to effectuate the declared policy of the Act.
    In accordance with the Paperwork Reduction Act of 1995 (44 U.S.C. 
Chapter 35), the ballots used in the referendum have been approved by 
the Office of Management and Budget (OMB) and have been assigned OMB 
No. 0581-0291, Federal Marketing Order for Pecans. It has been 
estimated it will take an average of 20 minutes for each of the 
approximately 4,270 growers of pecans to cast a ballot. Participation 
is voluntary. Ballots postmarked after July 23, 2021, will not be 
included in the vote tabulation.
    Abigail Campos, Dolores Lowenstine, and Christian D. Nissen of the 
Southeast Marketing Field Office, Specialty Crops Program, AMS, USDA, 
are hereby designated as the referendum agents for the Secretary of 
Agriculture to conduct this referendum. The procedure applicable to the 
referendum shall be the ``Procedure for the Conduct of Referenda in 
Connection with Marketing Orders for Fruits, Vegetables, and Nuts 
Pursuant to the Agricultural Marketing Agreement Act of 1937, as 
Amended'' (7 CFR 900.400 et seq.).
    Ballots may be obtained from the referendum agents or their 
appointees at the previously mentioned contact information.

List of Subjects in 7 CFR Part 986

    Marketing agreements, Pecans, Reporting and recordkeeping 
requirements.

    Authority: 7 U.S.C. 601-674.

Erin Morris,
Associate Administrator, Agricultural Marketing Service.
[FR Doc. 2021-14280 Filed 7-2-21; 8:45 am]
BILLING CODE P