The U.S. Department of Agriculture (USDA) is proposing amendments to the Florida tomato marketing order that would reduce membership of the committee from 12 to 10, extend the length of terms of office from one year to two years and reduce the quorum requirements from eight to six.
The Florida Tomato Committee recommended the changes to adjust the number of handlers and producers on the committee to reflect industry consolidation, enable the committee to fulfill membership and quorum requirements and ensure a more efficient and orderly flow of business. The committee administers the federal marketing order for Florida tomatoes under USDA oversight.
The proposed rule for these amendments was published in the Federal Register on Oct. 1, 2019. Comments are due by Dec. 2, 2019.
More information about the marketing order regulating the handling of tomatoes produced in Florida is available on the Agricultural Marketing Service (AMS) 966 Florida Tomatoes web page.
Authorized by the Agricultural Marketing Agreement Act of 1937, marketing orders are industry-driven programs that help producers and handlers achieve marketing success by leveraging their own funds to design and execute programs that they would not be able to do individually. AMS provides oversight to 29 fruit, vegetable, and specialty crop marketing orders and agreements to ensure fiscal accountability and program integrity.
More information about federal marketing orders is available on the AMS Marketing Orders and Agreements web page or by contacting the Marketing Order and Agreement Division at (202) 720-2491.
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