[Federal Register Volume 60, Number 22 (Thursday, February 2, 1995)]
[Proposed Rules]
[Pages 6453-6454]
From the Federal Register Online via the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]
[FR Doc No: 95-2580]



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DEPARTMENT OF AGRICULTURE
7 CFR Part 29

[TB-94-37]


Tobacco Inspection--Growers Referendum

AGENCY: Agricultural Marketing Service, USDA.

ACTION: Notice of referendum.

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SUMMARY: This notice announces that a referendum will be conducted by 
mail during the period of February 6-10, 1995, for producers of flue-
cured tobacco who sell their tobacco at auction in Kingstree and 
Hemingway, South Carolina, to determine producer approval of the 
designation of the Kingstree and Hemingway tobacco markets as one 
consolidated auction market.

DATES: The referendum will be held February 6-10, 1995.

FOR FURTHER INFORMATION CONTACT: Larry L. Crabtree, Deputy Director, 
Tobacco Division, Agricultural Marketing Service, United States 
Department of Agriculture, P.O. Box 96456, Washington, DC 20090-6456; 
telephone number (202) 205-0235.

SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION: Notice is hereby given of a mail referendum 
on the designation of a consolidated auction market at Kingstree and 
Hemingway, South Carolina. Kingstree and Hemingway, South Carolina, 
were designated on June 26, 1942, and June 16, 1950, respectively, (7 
CFR 29.8001) as flue-cured tobacco auction markets under the Tobacco 
Inspection Act (7 U.S.C. 511 et seq.). Under this Act both have been 
receiving mandatory grading services from USDA.
    On September 6, 1994, an application was made to the Secretary of 
Agriculture to consolidate the designated markets of Kingstree and 
Hemingway, South Carolina. The application, filed by warehouse 
operators in those markets, was made 

[[Page 6454]]
pursuant to the regulations promulgated under the Tobacco Inspection 
Act (7 CFR part 29.1-29.3). On November 9, 1994, a public hearing was 
held in Kingstree, South Carolina, pursuant to the regulations. A 
Review Committee, established pursuant to Sec. 29.3(h) of the 
regulations (7 CFR 29.3 (h)), has reviewed and considered the 
application, the testimony presented at the hearing, the exhibits 
received in evidence, and other available information. The Committee 
recommended to the Secretary that the application be granted and the 
Secretary approved the application on January 20, 1995.
    Before a new market can be officially designated, a referendum must 
be held to determine that a two-thirds majority of producers favor the 
designation. It is hereby determined that the referendum will be held 
by mail during the period of February 6-10, 1995. The purpose of the 
referendum is to determine whether farmers who sold their tobacco on 
the designated markets at Kingstree and Hemingway are in favor of, or 
opposed to, the designation of the consolidated market for the 1995 and 
succeeding crop years. Accordingly, if a two-thirds majority of those 
tobacco producers voting in the referendum favor this consolidation, a 
new market will be designated as and will be called Kingstree-
Hemingway.
    To be eligible to vote in the referendum a tobacco producer must 
have sold flue-cured tobacco on either the Kingstree and Hemingway, 
South Carolina, auction markets during the 1994 marketing season. Any 
farmer who believes he or she is eligible to vote in the referendum but 
has not received a mail ballot by February 6, 1995, should immediately 
contact Larry L. Crabtree at (202) 205-0235.
    The referendum will be held in accordance with the provisions for 
referenda of the Tobacco Inspection Act, as amended (7 U.S.C. 511d) and 
the regulations for such referendum set forth in 7 CFR 29.74.

    Dated: January 27, 1995.
Lon Hatamiya,
Administrator.
[FR Doc. 95-2580 Filed 2-1-95; 8:45 am]
BILLING CODE 3410-02-P