[Federal Register Volume 61, Number 59 (Tuesday, March 26, 1996)]
[Rules and Regulations]
[Page 13061]
From the Federal Register Online via the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]
[FR Doc No: 96-7191]
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DEPARTMENT OF AGRICULTURE
7 CFR Part 1280
[No. LS-96-002]
Sheep Promotion, Research, and Information Program
AGENCY: Agricultural Marketing Service; USDA.
ACTION: Notice of Referendum Results
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SUMMARY: The Agricultural Marketing Service (AMS) is announcing that
sheep producers, sheep feeders, and importers of sheep and sheep
products voting in a national referendum on February 6, 1996, have
approved the Sheep and Wool Promotion, Research, Education, and
Information Order (Order).
FOR FURTHER INFORMATION CONTACT: Ralph L. Tapp, Chief, Marketing
Programs Branch, Livestock and Seed Division, AMS, USDA, Room 2606-S;
P.O. Box 96456; Washington, D.C. 20090-6456.
SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION: Pursuant to the Sheep Promotion, Research,
and Information Act of 1994, 7 U.S.C. 7101 et seq. (Act), the
Department of Agriculture conducted a referendum on February 6, 1996,
among eligible sheep producers, sheep feeders, and importers of sheep
and sheep products to determine if an Order would become effective.
Of the 19,801 valid ballots cast, 10,707 (54.1 percent) favored and
9,094 (45.9 percent) opposed the implementation of the Order.
Additionally, of those persons who cast valid ballots in the
referendum, those who favored the Order account for 40 percent of the
total production voted, and those opposed account for 60 percent of the
total production voted. The Order could have been approved by either a
majority of the producers, feeders, and importers voting in the
referendum or by those voting in the referendum who accounted for at
least two-thirds of the production represented.
Therefore, based on the referendum results, the Secretary of
Agriculture has determined that the required majority of eligible
producers, feeders, and importers who voted absentee or in person in
the February 6, 1996, national referendum voted to implement the Order.
As a result, a promotion, research, education, and information program
will be funded by a mandatory assessment on domestic sheep producers,
lamb feeders, and exporters of live sheep and greasy wool of 1 cent per
pound on live sheep sold and 2 cents per pound on greasy wool sold.
Importers will be assessed (1) 1 cent per pound on live sheep; (2) the
equivalent of 1 cent per pound of live sheep for sheep products; and
(3) 2 cents per pound of degreased wool or the equivalent of degreased
wool for wool and wool products. Imported raw wool will be exempt from
assessments. Each person who processes or causes to be processed sheep
or sheep products of that person's own production and markets the
processed products, will be assessed the equivalent of 1 cent per pound
of live sheep sold or 2 cents per pound of greasy wool sold. All
assessments may be adjusted in accordance with applicable provisions of
the Act. The date when assessments will begin will be announced at a
later date.
Dated: March 20, 1996.
Lon Hatamiya,
Administrator.
[FR Doc. 96-7191 Filed 3-25-96; 8:45 am]
BILLING CODE 3410-02-P
