[Federal Register Volume 59, Number 65 (Tuesday, April 5, 1994)]
[Unknown Section]
[Page 0]
From the Federal Register Online via the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]
[FR Doc No: 94-8028]
[[Page Unknown]]
[Federal Register: April 5, 1994]
VOL. 59, NO. 65
Tuesday, April 5, 1994
DEPARTMENT OF AGRICULTURE
Agricultural Marketing Service
7 CFR Part 28
[CN-94-003]
RIN 0581-AB06
Cotton Classification Services for Cotton Producers; Withdrawal
of Proposed Rule
AGENCY: Agricultural Marketing Service, USDA.
ACTION: Proposed rule; withdrawal.
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SUMMARY: This document withdraws a proposed rule that would have
amended regulations governing cotton classification services provided
to cotton producers by establishing a module averaging method of cotton
classification. That rule would have changed the present classification
system by adding the new procedure.
DATES: This proposed rule is withdrawn effective April 5, 1994.
FOR FURTHER INFORMATION CONTACT: Craig Shackelford, 202-720-2259.
SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION: The proposed rule was issued as amendments
to regulations governing Cotton Classification Services for Producers
(7 CFR part 28). The proposal was issued on January 31, 1994, and
published in the Federal Register (59 FR 4257). It proposed the
implementation of module averaging, a method by which the accuracy of
fiber quality measurements can be improved. The module averaging
procedure would use all the bales from a module or trailer as the
testing unit rather than using a single bale as the test unit. The
module averaging procedure has been offered to growers on a voluntary
basis for the past three crop years.
The Secretary of Agriculture's Advisory Committee on Cotton
Marketing recommended that if no significant problems were encountered
during the 1993 classing season, the module averaging procedure be
expanded to include all cotton classed in 1994 and subsequent crop
years. For the 1993 expanded voluntary program, there were 242 gins
participating and the production from these gins totaled 3,053,716
bales. This represented 20 percent of the 1993 cotton crop. No problems
of any significance are known to have developed during the 1993
project. In keeping with the advisory committee's recommendation, AMS
proposed that module averaging be applied to all bales classed
effective with the 1994 cotton crop.
Written comments regarding this proposal were accepted from January
31, 1994, through March 2, 1994. Comments were received from
individuals and organizations representing several segments of the
cotton industry including producers, ginners, warehousers, merchants,
cooperatives, national and international trade associations, textile
manufacturers, and others. This broad cross section of the cotton
industry, together with a significant number of comments (61) indicates
a strong interest in the module averaging concept throughout the
industry.
The textile manufacturing segment submitted four comments; one from
a national organization representing domestic textile manufacturers,
and three from individual firms. All of these comments expressed
support for the proposal. The national organization representing
textile manufacturers favored the implementation of the proposal
provided four conditions were met: (1) That at least two tests per bale
be made; (2) that the integrity of the module be maintained by
preventing the intermingling of cotton between module test units; (3)
that when the module averaging procedure is used only those
measurements that fall within three standard deviations of the average
be included in the module average; and (4) that for the purposes of
review classification, all bales from the module be retested. The
remaining three comments all reiterated the suggestion for the use of
three standard deviations as a determination for including bales in the
module average. The Agency is currently, and will continue, studying
how best to determine the inclusion or exclusion of bales from the
module average.
Thirteen comments were received from the producer segment,
including two from national organizations. One national organization
was in favor of the proposal. The other recommended the delay of
mandatory implementation until 1995, and the application of module
averaging to length, strength and micronaire measurements only. The
remaining comments, submitted by regional producer organizations and
individual producers, were nearly equally divided among those favoring
the proposal and those supporting the module averaging concept, but
suggesting the continuation of the voluntary program.
The cotton ginning segment, through national and state
organizations, and individual ginners, submitted 14 written comments.
The national organization representing cotton ginners encouraged the
comprehensive industry review of the 1993 and 1994 module averaging
results and continuation of the voluntary module averaging program. The
remaining comments expressed general support for the module averaging
concept but suggested that module averaging be continued on a voluntary
basis.
A leading national association representing cotton merchants,
shippers and exporters of raw cotton opposed the mandatory
implementation of module averaging while supporting the continuation of
the voluntary program. The Agency is currently responding to a separate
request from this organization for statistical data pertaining to
module averaged cotton. This organization maintains that further
evaluation of the data is necessary prior to the implementation of
mandatory module averaging. The remaining 22 comments received from the
merchant segment also requested that module averaging be continued on a
voluntary basis so that the effects of module averaging on cotton
marketing can be further evaluated.
Three foreign cotton trade organizations submitted comments. These
comments all stated that the international cotton trade was not yet
sufficiently knowledgeable about the module averaging concept to favor
its use on anything more than a voluntary basis.
In light of the views expressed in comments submitted from the
various segments of the cotton industry, the Agency has determined that
it is in the public interest to continue with the module averaging
program on a voluntary basis. Such action will provide the cotton
industry more time to evaluate the effects of module averaging on
cotton marketing. Accordingly, the proposed rule is withdrawn effective
April 5, 1994.
Dated: March 30, 1994.
Lon Hatamiya,
Administrator.
[FR Doc. 94-8028 Filed 4-4-94; 8:45 am]
BILLING CODE 3410-02-P
