[Federal Register Volume 81, Number 239 (Tuesday, December 13, 2016)]
[Proposed Rules]
[Page 89878]
From the Federal Register Online via the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]
[FR Doc No: 2016-29852]
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Proposed Rules
Federal Register
________________________________________________________________________
This section of the FEDERAL REGISTER contains notices to the public of
the proposed issuance of rules and regulations. The purpose of these
notices is to give interested persons an opportunity to participate in
the rule making prior to the adoption of the final rules.
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Federal Register / Vol. 81, No. 239 / Tuesday, December 13, 2016 /
Proposed Rules
[[Page 89878]]
DEPARTMENT OF AGRICULTURE
Agricultural Marketing Service
7 CFR Parts 1150, 1160, 1205, 1206, 1207, 1208, 1209, 1210, 1212,
1214, 1215, 1216, 1217, 1218, 1219, 1222, 1230, 1250, and 1260
[Document Number AMS-DA-16-0101]
Provisions for Removing Commodity Research and Promotion Board
Members and Staff
AGENCY: Agricultural Marketing Service, USDA.
ACTION: Extension of comment period.
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SUMMARY: Notice is hereby given that the comment period on proposed
amendments to the provisions for removal of board and council members
or staff of the research and promotion orders--or the regulations under
the orders--overseen by the Agricultural Marketing Service (AMS) is
extended to December 23, 2016. The proposed rule would provide uniform
authority for the U.S. Department of Agriculture (USDA) to initiate
action to remove board members and staff who fail to perform their
duties or who engage in dishonest actions or willful misconduct. Such
action is necessary to ensure the boards can continue to fulfill their
intended purposes with minimal disruption.
DATES: Comments must be received by December 23, 2016.
ADDRESSES: Interested persons are invited to submit written comments
concerning this proposed rule. Comments should be submitted on the
internet at: http://www.regulations.gov. Written comments may also be
sent to Laurel L. May, Senior Marketing Specialist, Order Formulation
and Enforcement Division, USDA/AMS/Dairy Program, 1400 Independence
Avenue SW., Room 2967-S--Stop 0231, Washington, DC 20250-0231;
facsimile: 202-690-0552. All comments should reference the document
number and the date and page number of this issue and the November 23,
2016, issue of the Federal Register, and will be made available for
public inspection in the above office during regular business hours, or
may be viewed at: http://www.regluations.gov. Please be advised that
the identity of the individuals or entities submitting the comments
will be made public on the internet at the address provided above.
FOR FURTHER INFORMATION CONTACT: Laurel L. May, Senior Marketing
Specialist, USDA/AMS/Dairy Program, telephone 202-690-1366, or email
[email protected]; or Whitney Rick, Director; Promotion,
Research, and Planning Division; USDA/AMS/Dairy Program; telephone 202-
720-6961; or email [email protected].
SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION: A proposed rule was published in the Federal
Register on November 23, 2016 (81 FR 84510). The proposed rule would
amend the orders and/or rules and regulations for 19 of the 22 national
commodity research and promotion programs overseen by AMS by providing
uniform authority for USDA to initiate action as necessary to remove
board and council members or their staff employees to preserve program
integrity and mitigate damage from illegal or inappropriate behavior.
Currently, most of AMS's 22 research and promotion programs specify
provisions for removing board and council members or their staff
employees when they are unwilling or unable to perform their duties
properly or when they engage in prohibited or illegal activities or
other willful misconduct. However, removal authority is inconsistent
across all of the programs, which impairs AMS's ability to provide
uniform oversight of the programs and their assets. The 15-day comment
period provided in the proposed rule closes December 8, 2016.
USDA received letters from several of the affected programs
requesting that the comment period be extended. The letters expressed
concern that the original comment period was insufficient to allow
commenters to adequately evaluate the impacts of the proposal and
develop appropriate comments.
Authority: This document is issued under 19 of the commodity
research and promotion orders established under the following acts:
Beef Promotion and Research Act of 1985 (7 U.S.C. 2901-2911);
Commodity Promotion, Research, and Information Act of 1996 (7 U.S.C.
7411-7425); Cotton Research and Promotion Act of 1966 (7 U.S.C.
2101-2118); Dairy Production Stabilization Act of 1983 (7 U.S.C.
4501-4514); Egg Research and Consumer Information Act of 1974 (7
U.S.C. 2701-2718); Fluid Milk Promotion Act of 1990 (7 U.S.C. 6401-
6417); Hass Avocado Promotion, Research, and Information Act of 2000
(U.S.C. 7801-7813); Mushroom Promotion, Research, and Consumer
Information Act of 1990 (7 U.S.C. 6101-6112); Popcorn Promotion,
Research, and Consumer Information Act of 1996 (7 U.S.C. 7481-7491);
Pork Promotion, Research, and Consumer Information Act of 1985 (7
U.S.C. 4801-4819); Potato Research and Promotion Act of 1971 (7
U.S.C. 2611-2627); and Watermelon Research and Promotion Act (7
U.S.C. 4901-4916). These acts are collectively referred to as
``commodity research and promotion laws'' or ``acts.''
Dated: December 7, 2016.
Bruce Summers,
Associate Administrator, Agricultural Marketing Service.
[FR Doc. 2016-29852 Filed 12-12-16; 8:45 am]
BILLING CODE 3410-02-P