05-8829. Lamb Promotion, Research, and Information Program

AGENCY:

Agricultural Marketing Service, USDA.

ACTION:

Notice.

SUMMARY:

The Agricultural Marketing Service (AMS) is announcing that lamb producers, feeders, seedstock producers, and first handlers of lamb and lamb products voting in a national referendum from January 31, 2005, through February 28, 2005, have approved the continuation of the Lamb Promotion, Research, and Information Order (Order).

FOR FURTHER INFORMATION CONTACT:

Kenneth R. Payne, Chief; Marketing Programs Branch, Livestock and Seed Program; Agricultural Marketing Service (AMS), USDA, Room 2638-S; STOP 0251; 1400 Independence Avenue, SW.; Washington, DC 20250-0251, telephone number 202/720-1115, fax number 202/720-1125, or by e-mail at: [e-mail].

SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION:

Pursuant to the Commodity Promotion, Research, and Information Act of 1996 (Act) (7 U.S.C. 7411-7425), the Department of Agriculture conducted a referendum from January 31, 2005, through February 28, 2005, among eligible lamb producers, feeders, seedstock producers, and first handlers of lamb and lamb products to determine if the Order would continue to be effective. A final rule was published in the December 27, 2004, Federal Register (69 FR 22570) outlining the procedures for conducting the referendum.

Of the 3,490 valid ballots cast, 2,807 (80 percent) favored and 683 (20 percent) opposed the continuation of the Order. Additionally, of those persons who cast valid ballots in the referendum, those who favored the Order accounted for 84 percent of the total production voted, and those opposed account for 16 percent of the total production voted. For the program to continue, it must have been approved by at least a majority of those persons voting for approval who were engaged in the production, feeding, or slaughter of lambs during calendar year 2004 and who also represent a majority of the volume of lambs produced, fed, or slaughtered.

Therefore, based on the referendum results, the Secretary of Agriculture has determined that the required majority of eligible voters who voted in the nationwide referendum from January 31, 2005, through February 29, 2005, voted to continue the Order. As a result, the Lamb Checkoff Program will continue to be funded by a mandatory assessment on producers, seedstock producers (breeders), feeders, and exporters at the rate of one-half cent ($.005) per pound when live ovine animals are sold. The first handler, primarily packers, will pay an additional $.30 cents per head on ovine animals purchased for slaughter. Importers are not assessed.

In accordance with Paperwork Reduction Act (44 U.S.C. Chapter 35), the information collection requirements have been approved under OMB number 0581-0227.

State Referendum Results

[January 31, 2005, through February 28, 2005]

State	Votes		Volume voted
	Yes	No	Yes	No
Alabama	4	1	1,726	28
California	121	13	938,954	15,290
Colorado	85	21	1,145,615	32,640
Idaho	90	15	165,453	47,423
Illinois	77	27	10,097	6,736
Indiana	79	14	9,422	1,360
Iowa	161	52	456,999	53,520
Kansas	45	22	11,155	21,163
Kentucky	44	7	5,257	577
Maryland	9	3	1,090	18,747
Massachusetts	6	2	324	4,110
Michigan	126	10	28,562	3,570
Minnesota	161	40	65,332	15,325
Missouri	65	12	10,090	2,824
Montana	303	96	208,964	54,740
N. Carolina	27	1	2,429	195
N. Dakota	59	19	29,384	17,940
Nebraska	42	23	19,520	9,312
Nevada	8	5	20,977	5,187
New Hampshire	11	1	583	300
New Mexico	38	5	70,898	8,220
New York	70	11	12,258	2,793
Ohio	158	43	28,952	11,213
Oklahoma	18	11	2,335	9,226
Oregon	68	17	44,483	13,227
Pennsylvania	54	15	8,408	22,093
S. Dakota	148	91	85,167	132,898
Tennessee	54	2	3,137	125
Texas	217	26	270,713	219,081
Utah	73	7	136,917	8,055
Vermont	17	1	2,406	350
Virginia	48	9	5,389	1,093
West Virginia	70	5	10,095	544
Wisconsin	58	16	11,903	5,325
Wyoming	99	39	236,568	54,721
Alaska, Arizona, Arkansas, Connecticut, Delaware, Florida, Georgia, Hawaii, Louisiana, Maine, Mississippi, New Jersey, Puerto Rico, Rhode Island, South Carolina, and Washington 1	94	1	160,352	20
National Totals	2,807	683	4,221,914	799,971
1 To ensure the confidentiality of the voting process, the results of States in which there were not at least 3 votes in total with a minimum of one vote in each category are combined for the purpose of this report.

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

Dated: April 28, 2005.

Kenneth C. Clayton,

Acting Administrator, Agricultural Marketing Service.