Raisins Produced From Grapes Grown in California

AGENCY:

Agricultural Marketing Service, USDA.

ACTION:

Notice of regulatory review and request for comments.

SUMMARY:

This document announces that the Agricultural Marketing Service (AMS) plans to review Marketing Order No. 989 for raisins produced from grapes grown in California, under criteria contained in section 610 of the Regulatory Flexibility Act (RFA).

DATES:

Written comments on this notice must be received by July 23, 2004.

ADDRESSES:

Interested persons are invited to submit written comments concerning this notice of review. Comments must be sent to the Docket Clerk, Marketing Order Administration Branch, Fruit and Vegetable Programs, AMS, USDA, 1400 Independence Avenue, SW., STOP 0237, Washington, DC 20250-0237; Fax: (202) 720-8938; or E-mail: moab.docketclerk@usda.gov or http://www.regulations.gov. All comments should reference the docket number and the date and page number of this issue of the Federal Register and will be made available for public inspection in the Office of the Docket Clerk during regular business hours, or may be viewed at http://www.ams.usda.gov/fv/moab.html.

FOR FURTHER INFORMATION CONTACT:

Martin Engeler, Assistant Regional Manager, or Maureen T. Pello, Senior Marketing Specialist, Marketing Order Administration Branch, Fruit and Vegetable Programs, AMS, USDA, 2202 Monterey Street, Suite 102B, Fresno, CA 93721; telephone: (559) 487-5901; Fax: (559) 487-5906; E-mail: Martin.Engeler@usda.gov or Maureen.Pello@usda.gov; or George Kelhart, Technical Advisor, Marketing Order Administration Branch, Fruit and Vegetable Programs, AMS, USDA, 1400 Independence Avenue, SW., STOP 0237, Washington, DC 20250-0237; telephone: (202) 720-2491; Fax: (202) 720-8938; or E-mail: George.Kelhart@usda.gov.

SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION:

Marketing Order No. 989, as amended (7 CFR part 989), regulates the handling of raisins produced from grapes grown in California. The marketing order is effective under the Agricultural Marketing Agreement Act of 1937 (AMAA), as amended (7 U.S.C. 601-674).

AMS initially published in the Federal Register (63 FR 8014; February 18, 1999), its plan to review certain regulations, including Marketing Order No. 989, under criteria contained in section 610 of the Regulatory Flexibility Act (RFA; 5 U.S.C. 601-612). Updated plans were published in the Federal Register on January 4, 2002 (67 FR 525), and again on August 14, 2003 (68 FR 48574). Because many AMS regulations impact small entities, AMS has decided, as a matter of policy, to review certain regulations which, although they may not meet the threshold requirement under section 610 of the RFA, warrant review.

The purpose of the review will be to determine whether the marketing order for raisins produced from grapes grown in California should be continued without change, amended, or rescinded (consistent with the objectives of the AMAA) to minimize the impacts on small entities. In conducting this review, AMS will consider the following factors: (1) The continued need for the marketing order; (2) the nature of complaints or comments received from the public concerning the marketing order; (3) the complexity of the marketing order; (4) the extent to which the marketing order overlaps, duplicates, or conflicts with other Federal rules, and, to the extent feasible, with State and local governmental rules; and (5) the length of time since the marketing order has been evaluated or the degree to which technology, economic conditions, or other factors have changed in the area affected by the marketing order.

Written comments, views, opinions, and other information regarding the raisin marketing order's impact on small businesses are invited.