82 FR 11855 - Organic Research, Promotion, and Information Order; Referendum Procedures

DEPARTMENT OF AGRICULTURE
Agricultural Marketing Service

Federal Register Volume 82, Issue 37 (February 27, 2017)

Notice is hereby given that Agricultural Marketing Service (AMS) is extending the comment period for the proposed rule published in the Federal Register on January 18, 2017 (82 FR 5438), until April 19, 2017. The proposed rule invited comments on the proposed procedures for conducting a referendum to determine whether the issuance of a proposed Organic Research, Promotion, and Information Order (proposed Order) is favored by certified organic producers, certified organic handlers, and importers of certified organic products. The procedures would also be used for any subsequent referendum under the proposed Order. This proposed rule also announced the Agricultural Marketing Service's (AMS) intent to request approval by the Office of Management and Budget (OMB) of new information collection requirements to implement the program. The proposed Order was published separately in the Federal Register on January 18, 2017 (82 FR 5746).

[Federal Register Volume 82, Number 37 (Monday, February 27, 2017)]
[Proposed Rules]
[Pages 11855-11856]
From the Federal Register Online  [www.thefederalregister.org]
[FR Doc No: 2017-03824]


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DEPARTMENT OF AGRICULTURE

Agricultural Marketing Service

7 CFR Part 1255

[Doc. No. AMS-SC-16-0112]


Organic Research, Promotion, and Information Order; Referendum 
Procedures

AGENCY: Agricultural Marketing Service, USDA.

ACTION: Extension of comment period.

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SUMMARY: Notice is hereby given that Agricultural Marketing Service 
(AMS) is extending the comment period for the proposed rule published 
in the Federal Register on January 18, 2017 (82 FR 5438), until April 
19, 2017. The proposed rule invited comments on the proposed procedures 
for conducting a referendum to determine whether the issuance of a 
proposed Organic Research, Promotion, and Information Order (proposed 
Order) is favored by certified organic producers, certified organic 
handlers, and importers of certified organic products. The procedures 
would also be used for any subsequent referendum under the proposed 
Order. This proposed rule also announced the Agricultural Marketing 
Service's (AMS) intent to request approval by the Office of Management 
and Budget (OMB) of new information collection requirements to 
implement the program. The proposed Order was published separately in 
the Federal Register on January 18, 2017 (82 FR 5746).

DATES: Comments received by April 19, 2017, will be considered prior to 
issuance of a final rule.

ADDRESSES: Interested persons are invited to submit written comments 
concerning this proposal. Comments may be submitted on the Internet at: 
http://www.regulations.gov or to the Promotion and Economics Division, 
Specialty Crops Program, AMS, USDA, 1400 Independence Avenue SW., Room 
1406-S, Stop 0244, Washington, DC 20250-0244; facsimile: (202) 205-
2800. 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, including name and address, if 
provided, in the above office during regular business hours or it can 
be viewed at http://www.regulations.gov.
    Pursuant to the Paperwork Reduction Act (PRA), comments regarding 
the accuracy of the burden estimate, ways to minimize the burden, 
including the use of automated collection techniques or other forms of 
information technology, or any other aspect of this collection of 
information, should be sent to the above address. In addition, comments 
concerning the information collection should also be sent to the Desk 
Office for Agriculture, Office of Information and Regulatory Affairs, 
OMB, New Executive Office Building, 725 17th Street NW., Room 725, 
Washington, DC 20503.

FOR FURTHER INFORMATION CONTACT: Heather Pichelman, Division Director, 
Promotion and Economics Division, Specialty Crops Program, AMS, USDA, 
1400 Independence Avenue SW., Room 1406-S, Stop 0244, Washington, DC 
20250-0244; facsimile: (202) 205-2800; or electronic mail: 
[email protected].

SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION: A proposed rule was published in the Federal 
Register on January 18, 2017 (82 FR 5438). This proposed action invited 
comments on a proposed procedures for conducting a referendum to 
determine whether covered domestic certified organic producers, 
certified organic handlers and importers of organic products favor 
issuance of a proposed Order. Accordingly, this proposed rule would add 
subpart B to part 1255 that would establish procedures for conducting 
the referendum. The procedures would cover definitions, voting 
instructions, use of subagents, ballots, the referendum report, and 
confidentiality

[[Page 11856]]

of information. The U.S. Department of Agriculture (USDA) would conduct 
the referendum. The program would be implemented if it is favored by a 
majority of domestic certified organic producers, certified organic 
handlers and importers of organic products voting in the referendum. 
The procedures would be applicable for the initial referendum and 
future referenda under the proposed Order.
    This proposed rule also announced AMS's intent to request approval 
by the OMB of new information collection requirements to implement the 
program. The proposed Order was published separately in the Federal 
Register on January 18, 2017 (82 FR 5746).
    The 60-day comment period provided in the proposed rule published 
in the Federal Register on January 18, 2017 (82 FR 5438) was set to end 
on March 20, 2017. AMS has extended the end of comment period by 30 
days to April 19, 2017 to ensure that interested persons have 
sufficient time to review and comment on the proposed rule.

    Authority:  7 U.S.C. 7411-7425; 7 U.S.C. 7401.

    Dated: February 22, 2017.
Bruce Summers,
Acting Administrator, Agricultural Marketing Service.
[FR Doc. 2017-03824 Filed 2-24-17; 8:45 am]
 BILLING CODE 3410-02-P