94-26459. Kiwifruit Grown in California; Revision of Pack and Reporting Requirements  

  • [Federal Register Volume 59, Number 205 (Tuesday, October 25, 1994)]
    [Unknown Section]
    [Page 0]
    From the Federal Register Online via the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]
    [FR Doc No: 94-26459]
    
    
    Federal Register / Vol. 59, No. 205 / Tuesday, October 25, 1994 /
    
    [[Page Unknown]]
    
    [Federal Register: October 25, 1994]
    
    
                                                       VOL. 59, NO. 205
    
                                              Tuesday, October 25, 1994
    
    DEPARTMENT OF AGRICULTURE
    
    Agricultural Marketing Service
    
    7 CFR Part 920
    
    [Docket No. FV94-920-2FR]
    
     
    
    Kiwifruit Grown in California; Revision of Pack and Reporting 
    Requirements
    
    AGENCY: Agricultural Marketing Service, USDA.
    
    ACTION: Final rule.
    
    -----------------------------------------------------------------------
    
    SUMMARY: This final rule revises pack and reporting requirements 
    established under the Federal marketing order for kiwifruit grown in 
    California. The first change standardizes packaging for certain volume 
    filled containers packed by weight. For the 1994/95 season only, volume 
    filled containers packed by weight will be required to be 22- or 23-
    pounds net weight if more than 10 pounds and less than 35 pounds. 
    Thereafter, a 22-pound volume filled standard will be effective. The 
    second change streamlines information collection requirements under the 
    program by deleting a requirement that handlers file a Beginning 
    Inventory Data form and adding reporting requirements for a Kiwifruit 
    Inventory Shipment System (KISS) form. Since the KISS form is already 
    in use by handlers, this requirement merely formalizes existing 
    industry use of the KISS form.
    
    EFFECTIVE DATE: This final rule becomes effective October 25, 1994.
    
    FOR FURTHER INFORMATION CONTACT:
    Rose Aguayo, California Marketing Field Office, Marketing Order 
    Administration Branch, Fruit and Vegetable Division, AMS, USDA, 2202 
    Monterey Street, Suite 102B, Fresno, California 93721; telephone (209) 
    487-5901; or Mark Hessel, Marketing Order Administration Branch, Fruit 
    and Vegetable Division, AMS, USDA, P.O. Box 96456, Room 2526-S, 
    Washington, DC 20090-6456, telephone (202) 720-5127.
    
    SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION: This final rule is issued under Marketing 
    Order No. 920 [7 CFR Part 920], as amended, regulating the handling of 
    kiwifruit grown in California, hereinafter referred to as the 
    ``order.'' The order is effective under the Agricultural Marketing 
    Agreement Act of 1937, as amended [7 U.S.C. 601-674], hereinafter 
    referred to as the ``Act.''
        The Department of Agriculture (Department) is issuing this rule in 
    conformance with Executive Order 12866.
        This final rule has been reviewed under Executive Order 12778, 
    Civil Justice Reform. This rule is not intended to have retroactive 
    effect. This final rule will not preempt any State or local laws, 
    regulations, or policies, unless they present an irreconcilable 
    conflict with this rule.
        The Act provides that administrative proceedings must be exhausted 
    before parties may file suit in court. Under section 608c(15)(A) of the 
    Act, any handler subject to an order may file with the Secretary a 
    petition stating that the order, any provision of the order, or any 
    obligation imposed in connection with the order is not in accordance 
    with law and request a modification of the order or to be exempted 
    therefrom. A handler is afforded the opportunity for a hearing on the 
    petition. After the hearing the Secretary would rule on the petition. 
    The Act provides that the district court of the United States in any 
    district in which the handler is an inhabitant, or has his or her 
    principle place of business, has jurisdiction in equity to review the 
    Secretary's ruling on the petition, provided a bill in equity is filed 
    not later than 20 days after the date of the entry of the ruling.
        Pursuant to requirements set forth in the Regulatory Flexibility 
    Act (RFA), the Administrator of the Agricultural Marketing Service 
    (AMS) has considered the economic impact of this rule on small 
    entities.
        The purpose of the RFA is to fit regulatory actions to the scale of 
    business subject to such actions in order that small businesses will 
    not be unduly or disproportionately burdened. Marketing orders issued 
    pursuant to the Act, and rules issued thereunder, are unique in that 
    they are brought about through group action of essentially small 
    entities acting on their own behalf. Thus, both statutes have small 
    entity orientation and compatibility.
        There are approximately 65 handlers of California kiwifruit subject 
    to regulation under the order and approximately 600 kiwifruit producers 
    in the production area. Small agricultural service firms are defined by 
    the Small Business Administration [13 CFR 121.601] as those whose 
    annual receipts are less than $5,000,000, and small agricultural 
    producers have been defined as those having annual receipts of less 
    than $500,000. A majority of handlers and producers of California 
    kiwifruit may be classified as small entities.
        Under the terms of the order, fresh market shipments of California 
    kiwifruit are required to be inspected and are subject to grade, size, 
    maturity, pack, and container requirements.
        The Kiwifruit Administrative Committee (committee), the agency 
    responsible for local administration of the order, met on February 10, 
    1994, and unanimously recommended the following changes:
    
    Pack Requirements
    
        The committee recommended standardizing the weight of certain 
    volume filled containers by requiring such containers to be marked by 
    weight at either 22-pounds or 23-pounds net weight through July 31, 
    1995. For subsequent seasons, volume filled containers will be 
    standardized at 22 pounds. Paragraph (a)(3) of Sec. 920.52 specifies 
    that the Secretary may fix the weight of containers used in the 
    handling of kiwifruit.
        In a volume filled container, fairly uniform size kiwifruit are 
    loosely packed without cell compartments, cardboard fillers or molded 
    trays. Handlers may ship volume filled containers marked by either the 
    appropriate count or net weight of kiwifruit. Handler shipments are 
    based upon the preference of the receiver. Volume filled containers 
    marked by count will not be affected by this change. Also, containers 
    of less than 10-pounds or more than 35-pounds net weight will not be 
    affected by this revised weight standard. Thus the industry will 
    continue to have the flexibility to utilize containers of different 
    weights for a variety of buyer preferences.
        Last season the industry standardized the weight of all volume 
    filled containers of kiwifruit designated by weight at 23-pounds net 
    weight of kiwifruit unless such containers hold less than 10-pounds or 
    more than 35-pounds net weight of kiwifruit. The industry has since 
    learned that the recognized world standard for volume filled containers 
    of kiwifruit is 10-kilograms (10-kg) net weight which is equal to 
    approximately 22 pounds. The industry has also become aware that 
    neither foreign nor domestic buyers wish to pay more for a 23-pound box 
    than for a 22-pound (10-kg) box. As a result, California marketers 
    selling 23-pound containers have been disadvantaged in both export and 
    domestic markets compared to marketers from other countries selling 22-
    pound (10-kg) containers of fruit.
        The change to a standard container weight of 22-pounds net weight 
    will enable the industry to mark volume filled containers both in terms 
    of a unit of measure in pounds and with a metric weight. Standardizing 
    the weight of volume filled containers marked by weights recognized in 
    the world market will standardize marketing practices for the kiwifruit 
    industry.
        The committee considered immediately standardizing the minimum 
    weight for volume filled containers at only 22 pounds (10 kg) rather 
    than at 22 pounds or 23 pounds. However, all committee members were in 
    favor of allowing handlers to continue to also pack or ship to the 23-
    pound standard for the 1994/95 season to enable handlers to utilize 
    existing inventories of boxes and labels. Thus the requirement to ship 
    only 22-pound net weight containers will be effective for the 1995-96 
    and subsequent seasons.
        This final rule will impact all handlers in the same manner. The 
    same size container currently used for the 23-pound standard can be 
    used for the 22-pound (10-kg) standard. It is anticipated that only a 
    small number of packages will be shipped in 23-pound containers during 
    the 1994/95 season. This is because handlers shipping 23-pound 
    containers have already expressed the concern that they do not receive 
    a price premium for the extra pound of fruit in each container. This 
    concern will be remedied by deleting the preprinted marking of 23 
    pounds, relabeling the container to read 22 pounds, and filling the 
    container with 22 pounds of fruit. This change will impose some minimal 
    costs on those handlers who choose to print new labels or convert 23-
    pound volume filled containers into other types of containers. However, 
    the overall benefits to the California kiwifruit industry by 
    standardizing volume filled containers at 22 pounds (10 kg), with the 
    option of using existing labels and boxes for the 1994/95 season, will 
    more than offset the costs imposed on handlers.
    
    Reporting Requirements
    
        Paragraphs (a) and (b) of Sec. 920.60 authorize reporting 
    requirements for kiwifruit handlers under the marketing order. Pursuant 
    to Sec. 920.160, the marketing order requires a Beginning Inventory 
    Data form to be filed with the committee by each handler no later than 
    five days after all fruit has been packed for the season, or such other 
    later time as the committee may establish. This information includes 
    beginning inventory by container type and by fruit size.
        In 1990, the California Kiwifruit Commission, hereinafter referred 
    to as the ``State commission,'' adopted the Kiwifruit Inventory 
    Shipment System (KISS) form. The KISS form is comprised of three 
    sections: (1) The ``KISS/Add Inventory'' requires all handlers to 
    report their beginning inventories by size and container type. 
    Inventory includes all fruit packed at harvest; (2) The ``KISS/Deduct 
    Inventory'' requires all handlers to report fruit lost in repack, fruit 
    repacked into another container type, and adjustments to decrease 
    posted inventory; and (3) The ``KISS/Shipments'' requires all handlers 
    to report shipments by size and container type.
        All three sections of the KISS form will be filed with the 
    committee, on or before December 5th, or such other later time as the 
    committee may establish. Subsequent KISS forms, including all three 
    sections, will be filed with the committee by the fifth day and again 
    by the twentieth day of each calendar month, or such other later time 
    as the committee may establish.
        The adoption of the KISS form by the State commission resulted in 
    redundant reporting requirements in the kiwifruit industry. The KISS 
    form collects the same information as the Beginning Inventory Data 
    form. This information is used to verify the total amount of fruit 
    available for shipping, to calculate statistics, and to determine if 
    assessments billed match reported shipments. In an effort to eliminate 
    the redundant reporting requirements, the committee recommended that 
    the Beginning Inventory Data form reporting requirement be deleted from 
    paragraph (b) of Sec. 920.160 and the KISS form reporting requirements 
    be added. This rule is intended to enable kiwifruit handlers to 
    efficiently file one form to meet the requirements of both the State 
    commission and the Federal marketing order. Deleting the requirement 
    for the Beginning Inventory Data form in paragraph (b) of Sec. 920.160 
    and utilizing the KISS form will eliminate the submission of duplicate 
    information.
        In accordance with the Paperwork Reduction Act of 1980 [44 U.S.C. 
    Chapter 35], the information collection requirements contained in this 
    rule have been approved by the Office of Management and Budget (OMB) 
    and have been assigned OMB No. 0581-0149. Eliminating the Beginning 
    Inventory Data form will decrease the information collection burden for 
    the industry by 65 hours. It has been estimated that it will take an 
    average of .5 hours for each of the approximately 65 handlers of 
    kiwifruit to complete the KISS form. Thus the finalized change will 
    increase the overall burden by 325 hours because the KISS form is filed 
    with the committee more frequently.
        A proposed rule concerning this action was published in the Federal 
    Register on August 14, 1994 [59 FR 41717], with a 30-day comment period 
    ending September 14, 1994. No comments were received.
        Based on the above, the Administrator of the AMS has determined 
    that this action will not have a significant economic impact on a 
    substantial number of small entities.
        After consideration of all relevant matter presented, including the 
    information and recommendations submitted by the committee and other 
    available information, it is hereby found that this rule, as 
    hereinafter set forth, will tend to effectuate the declared policy of 
    the Act.
        It is further found that good cause exists for not postponing the 
    effective date of this rule until 30 days after publication in the 
    Federal Register [5 U.S.C. 553] because: (1) Handlers have begun 
    labeling boxes in preparation of shipping kiwifruit for the 1994/1995 
    season which began in mid-September; (2) Handlers are aware of this 
    rule, which was unanimously recommended by the committee at a public 
    meeting; and (3) a 30-day comment period was provided for in the 
    proposed rule.
    
    List of Subjects in 7 CFR Part 920
    
        Kiwifruit, Marketing agreements, Reporting and recordkeeping 
    requirements.
    
        For the reasons set forth in the preamble, 7 CFR Part 920 is 
    amended as follows:
    
    PART 920--KIWIFRUIT GROWN IN CALIFORNIA
    
        1. The authority citation for 7 CFR Part 920 continues to read as 
    follows:
    
        Authority: 7 U.S.C. 601-674.
    
        2. In Sec. 920.160, paragraph (b) is revised to read as follows:
    
    
    Sec. 920.160  Reports.
    
    * * * * *
        (b) Kiwifruit Inventory Shipping System (KISS) form.
        Each handler shall file with the committee the initial Kiwifruit 
    Inventory Shipment System (KISS) form, which consists of three sections 
    ``KISS/Add Inventory,'' ``KISS/Deduct Inventory,'' and ``KISS/
    Shipment,'' on or before December 5th, or such other later time as the 
    committee may establish. Subsequent KISS forms, including all three 
    sections, shall be filed with the committee by the fifth day and again 
    by the twentieth day of each calendar month, or such other later time 
    as the committee may establish, and will contain the following 
    information:
        (1) The beginning inventory of the handler by size and container 
    type;
        (2) The quantity of fruit the handler lost in repack and repacked 
    into other container types;
        (3) The total domestic and export shipments of the handler by size 
    and container type; and
        3. In Sec. 920.302, paragraph (a)(4)(iv) is revised to read as 
    follows:
    
    
    Sec. 920.302  Grade, size, pack and container regulations.
    
    * * * * *
        (4) * * *
        (iv) All volume filled containers of kiwifruit designated by weight 
    shall hold 22-pounds (10-kilograms) net weight of kiwifruit unless such 
    containers hold less than 10-pounds or more than 35-pounds net weight 
    of kiwifruit. Provided, That for the season ending July 31, 1995, such 
    containers may also hold 23-pounds net weight of kiwifruit.
    * * * * *
        (4) Any other adjustments which increase or decrease posted handler 
    inventory.
    * * * * *
        Dated: October 19, 1994.
    Eric M. Forman,
    Deputy Director, Fruit and Vegetable Division.
    [FR Doc. 94-26459 Filed 10-20-94; 4:30 pm]
    BILLING CODE 3410-02-P
    
    
    

Document Information

Effective Date:
10/25/1994
Published:
10/25/1994
Department:
Agricultural Marketing Service
Entry Type:
Uncategorized Document
Action:
Final rule.
Document Number:
94-26459
Dates:
This final rule becomes effective October 25, 1994.
Pages:
0-0 (1 pages)
Docket Numbers:
Federal Register: October 25, 1994, Docket No. FV94-920-2FR
CFR: (2)
7 CFR 920.160
7 CFR 920.302