[Federal Register Volume 86, Number 195 (Wednesday, October 13, 2021)]
[Proposed Rules]
[Page 56840]
From the Federal Register Online via the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]
[FR Doc No: 2021-22312]


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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. 195 / Wednesday, October 13, 2021 / 
Proposed Rules  

[[Page 56840]]



DEPARTMENT OF AGRICULTURE

Agricultural Marketing Service

7 CFR Part 984

[Doc. No. AMS-SC-21-0067; SC20-984-3 CR]


Walnuts Grown in California; Continuance Referendum

AGENCY: Agricultural Marketing Service, Department of Agriculture 
(USDA).

ACTION: Referendum order.

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SUMMARY: This document directs that a referendum be conducted among 
eligible California walnut growers to determine whether they favor 
continuance of the marketing order regulating the handling of walnuts 
grown in California.

DATES: The referendum will be conducted from December 6 through 
December 31, 2021. To vote in this referendum, growers must have 
produced walnuts in California during the period September 1, 2020, 
through August 31, 2021.

ADDRESSES: Copies of the marketing order may be obtained from the 
office of the referendum agents at 1220 SW 3rd Avenue, Suite 305, 
Portland, OR 97204; Telephone: (503) 326-2724; or the Office of the 
Docket Clerk, 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 at https://www.regulations.gov.

FOR FURTHER INFORMATION CONTACT: Joshua R. Wilde or Gary D. Olson, 
Northwest Marketing Field Office, Marketing Order and Agreement 
Division, Specialty Crops Program, AMS, USDA, 1220 SW 3rd Avenue, Suite 
305, Portland, OR 97204; Telephone: (503) 326-2724, or Email: 
[email protected] or [email protected].

SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION: Pursuant to Marketing Agreement and Order 
No. 984, as amended (7 CFR part 984), hereinafter referred to as the 
``Order,'' and 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 
the growers. The referendum shall be conducted from December 6 to 
December 31, 2021, among eligible California walnut growers. Only 
growers that were engaged in the production of walnuts in California 
during the period September 1, 2020, through August 31, 2021, may 
participate in the continuance referendum.
    USDA has determined that continuance referenda are an effective 
means for determining whether growers favor continuation of marketing 
order programs. The Order will continue in effect if at least two-
thirds of growers voting in the referendum, or growers of at least two-
thirds of the volume of California walnuts represented in the 
referendum, favor continuance. In evaluating merits of continuance 
versus termination, USDA will not exclusively consider results of the 
continuance referendum. USDA will also consider all other relevant 
information concerning the operation of the Order and relative benefits 
and disadvantages to growers, handlers, and consumers in order to 
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. 0581-0178--Vegetable and Specialty Crops. It has been estimated 
that it will take an average of 20 minutes for each of the 
approximately 4,400 growers of California walnuts to cast a ballot. 
Participation is voluntary. Ballots postmarked after December 31, 2021, 
will not be included in the vote tabulation.
    Joshua R. Wilde and Gary D. Olson of the Northwest Marketing Field 
Office, Specialty Crops Program, Agricultural Marketing Service (AMS), 
USDA, are hereby designated as the referendum agents of 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 through 900.407).
    Ballots will be mailed to all growers of record and may also be 
obtained from the referendum agents or from their appointees.

List of Subjects in 7 CFR Part 984

    Marketing agreements, Nuts, Reporting and recordkeeping 
requirements, Walnuts.

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

Erin Morris,
Associate Administrator, Agricultural Marketing Service.
[FR Doc. 2021-22312 Filed 10-12-21; 8:45 am]
BILLING CODE P