[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] ----------------------------------------------------------------------- DEPARTMENT OF AGRICULTURE 7 CFR Part 29 [TB-94-37] Tobacco Inspection--Growers Referendum AGENCY: Agricultural Marketing Service, USDA. ACTION: Notice of referendum. ----------------------------------------------------------------------- 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