The U.S. Department of Agriculture (USDA) is announcing a proposed volume regulation for the 2018-19 crop year under the marketing order for cranberries grown in 10 cranberry producing states.
The Cranberry Marketing Committee recommended the seasonal volume regulation for the 2018-19 crop year. The proposed volume regulation would establish a marketable quantity of 7.275 million barrels and a grower allotment percentage of 75 percent for the coming crop year for cranberries. The marketing order regulates the handling of cranberries grown in the states of Massachusetts, Rhode Island, Connecticut, New Jersey, Wisconsin, Michigan, Minnesota, Oregon, Washington, and Long Island in the State of New York.
The proposed volume regulation would also:
- Allow handlers to process up to 50 percent of the excess cranberries they receive above their growers’ allotment, provided they divert an equivalent amount of 2018-19 processed cranberry products
- Establish an exemption for organically grown cranberries
- Specify handlers subject to the regulation
- Revise the definition of outlets for excess fruit
- Revise dates by which certain actions are due
- Exempt handlers that processed less than 125,000 barrels during the 2017-18 fiscal year or handlers that did not have carryover inventory at the end of the 2017-18 fiscal year
- Specify that growers delivering their fruit to exempt handlers would not be subject to the allotment
The proposed rule for this action was published in the Federal Register April 27, 2018. Written comments must be received by May 29, 2018.
Post comments concerning the proposed change at www.regulations.gov, or mail them to Docket Clerk, Marketing Order and Agreement Division, Specialty Crops Program, Agricultural Marketing Service, USDA, 1400 Independence Avenue SW, STOP 0237, Washington, DC 20250-0237; or fax them to (202) 720-8938.
All comments to this proposed rule submitted by the deadline will be made available for public review and considered before any reporting requirements or information collection are finalized.
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. The USDA’s Agricultural Marketing Service (AMS) provides oversight to 29 fruit vegetable and specialty crops marketing orders and agreements, which helps ensure fiscal accountability and program integrity.
Information about the marketing order is available on the 929 Cranberry page of the AMS website. More information about federal marketing orders is available on the Marketing Orders and Agreements page of the AMS website or by contacting the Marketing Order and Agreement Division at (202) 720-2491.
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