The U.S. Department of Agriculture’s (USDA) Agricultural Marketing Service (AMS) is reopening the comment period on a proposal to increase the assessment rate prescribed under the marketing order regulating the handling of almonds grown in California.
During the initial comment period, which closed on Aug. 2, 2016, USDA received a request to allow more time to comment on the proposal. After reviewing the request, USDA is reopening the comment period for 30 additional days. This will provide interested persons more time to review and analyze the proposed rule.
The initial proposed rule for this action was published in the Federal Register on July 18, 2016. Written comments must now be received by Oct. 12, 2016, and should be sent to the Docket Clerk, Marketing Order and Agreement Division, Specialty Crops Program, AMS, USDA, 1400 Independence Avenue SW, STOP 0237, Washington, DC 20250-0237; by fax at (202) 720-8938; or by visiting www.regulations.gov.
All comments timely submitted in response to this proposed rule will be made available for public review and considered before any increases to the assessment rate are finalized.