Peanut Promotion, Research, and Information Order; Continuance Referendum
| Published date | 20 February 2024 |
| Record Number | 2024-03371 |
| Citation | 89 FR 12758 |
| Court | Agricultural Marketing Service |
| Section | Proposed rules |
Federal Register, Volume 89 Issue 34 (Tuesday, February 20, 2024)
[Federal Register Volume 89, Number 34 (Tuesday, February 20, 2024)]
[Proposed Rules]
[Page 12758]
From the Federal Register Online via the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]
[FR Doc No: 2024-03371]
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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.
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Federal Register / Vol. 89, No. 34 / Tuesday, February 20, 2024 /
Proposed Rules
[[Page 12758]]
DEPARTMENT OF AGRICULTURE
Agricultural Marketing Service
7 CFR Part 1216
[Doc. No. AMS-SC-23-0060]
Peanut Promotion, Research, and Information Order; Continuance
Referendum
AGENCY: Agricultural Marketing Service, USDA.
ACTION: Notification of referendum.
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SUMMARY: This document directs that a referendum be conducted among
eligible producers of peanuts to determine whether they favor
continuance of the Agriculture Marketing Service's (AMS) regulations
regarding a national peanut research and promotion program.
DATES: This referendum will be conducted from April 8, 2024, through
April 19, 2024. Eligible persons will receive a ballot through mail and
will cast a ballot either through express mail or electronic ballot. To
be eligible to vote, each person who is an eligible producer, at the
time of the referendum and during the representative period from
January 1 through December 31, 2022, shall be entitled to cast a ballot
in the referendum. Ballots delivered to AMS via express mail or
electronic ballot must show proof of delivery by no later than 11:59
p.m. Eastern Time (ET) on April 19, 2024, to be counted.
ADDRESSES: Copies of the Peanut Promotion, Research, and Information
Order (Order) may be obtained from: Referendum Agent, Market
Development Division, Specialty Crops Program, AMS, USDA, 1400
Independence Avenue SW, Room 1406-S, Stop 0244, Washington, DC 20250-
0244, Telephone: (202) 720-8085; or contact Victoria M. Carpenter at
(202) 400-1865 or Email: [email protected] or Deanna Bakken
at (970) 652-0923 or Email: [email protected].
FOR FURTHER INFORMATION CONTACT: Victoria M. Carpenter, Marketing
Specialist, MDD, SCP, AMS, USDA, 1400 Independence Avenue SW, Room
1406-S, Stop 0244, Washington, DC 20250-0244; Telephone: (202) 400-
1865; or Email: [email protected].
SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION: Pursuant to the Commodity Promotion,
Research and Information Act of 1996 (7 U.S.C. 7411-7425) (Act), it is
hereby directed that a referendum be conducted to ascertain whether
continuance of the Order (7 CFR part 1216) is favored by eligible
peanut producers covered under the program. The Order is authorized
under the Act.
The representative period for establishing voter eligibility for
the referendum is January 1 through December 31, 2022. Persons who are
engaged in the production and sale of peanuts at the time of the
referendum and during the representative period are eligible to vote.
Persons who received an exemption from assessments pursuant to Sec.
1216.56 for the entire representative period are ineligible to vote.
AMS will provide the option for electronic balloting. The referendum
will be conducted by mail and electronic ballot from April 8, 2024,
through April 19, 2024. Further details will be provided in the ballot
instructions.
Section 518 of the Act authorizes continuance referenda. Under
Sec. 1216.82(b) of the Order, the U.S. Department of Agriculture
(USDA) must conduct a referendum every five years. The Secretary of
Agriculture (Secretary) may also hold a referendum if 10 percent or
more of all eligible peanut producers request that the Secretary do so,
or at any time to determine whether persons subject to assessment favor
continuance of the program. The last referendum was held in 2019. The
Board voted to conduct the next referendum in April 2024. USDA would
continue the Order if continuance is favored by a simple majority of
the producers voting in the referendum and who, during the
representative period January 1 through December 31, 2022, have been
engaged in the production of peanuts.
In accordance with the Paperwork Reduction Act of 1995 (44 U.S.C.
chapter 35), the referendum ballot has been approved by the Office of
Management and Budget (OMB) and assigned OMB No. 0581-0093. There are
approximately 6,702 producers who will be eligible to vote in the
referendum. It will take an average of 15 minutes for each voter to
read the voting instructions and complete the referendum ballot.
Referendum Order
Victoria M. Carpenter, Marketing Specialist; Deanna Bakken,
Marketing Specialist; and Alexandra Caryl, Branch Chief, Market
Development Division, SCP, AMS, USDA, Stop 0244, Room 1406-S, 1400
Independence Avenue SW, Washington, DC 20250-0244, are designated as
the referendum agents to conduct this referendum. The referendum
procedures at 7 CFR 1216.100 through 1216.107, which were issued
pursuant to the Act, shall be used to conduct the referendum.
The referendum agent will mail or provide access electronically to
the ballots to be cast in the referendum and voting instructions to all
known, eligible producers prior to the first day of the voting period.
Any eligible producer who does not receive a ballot should contact the
referendum agent no later than three days before the end of the voting
period. Ballots delivered via express mail or electronic ballot must
show proof of delivery by no later than 11:59 p.m. ET on April 19,
2024, to be counted.
List of Subjects in 7 CFR Part 1216
Administrative practice and procedure, Advertising, Information,
Marketing agreements, Peanuts, Reporting and recordkeeping
requirements.
Authority: 7 U.S.C. 7411-7425; 7 U.S.C. 7401.
Erin Morris,
Associate Administrator, Agriculture Marketing Service.
[FR Doc. 2024-03371 Filed 2-16-24; 8:45 am]
BILLING CODE 3410-02-P
