The U.S. Department of Agriculture’s (USDA) Agricultural Marketing Service (AMS) today announced a final rule that implements the Almond Board of California’s recommendation to increase the assessment rate prescribed under the marketing order. The marketing order regulates the handling of almonds grown in California. The new assessment rate of $0.04 per pound of almonds handled is applicable to assessable almonds produced from August 1, 2016 through July 31, 2019.
According to the board, funds generated from the increased assessment rate will be used to create new market opportunities and advance production research and sustainability efforts ahead of an anticipated 30-percent increase in almond production by 2020. The assessment rate is scheduled to return to $0.03 per pound for the 2019-20 season.
AMS published a proposed rule for this rate increase in the Federal Register in July 2016 with a 15-day comment period. The comment period was reopened in September for an additional 30 days based on an industry request. Forty-six comments were received during the two comment periods: 28 comments were in favor and 18 were opposed. All comments have been addressed in the final rule.
The final rule is published in the Dec. 20, 2016 Federal Register and is effective Dec. 21, 2016.