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Federal Register / Vol. 86, No. 153 / Thursday, August 12, 2021 / Rules and Regulations $166,100,000 110,000 tons times $1,510
per ton equals $166,100,000. Dividing the crop value by the estimated number of producers 800 yields an estimated average receipt per producer of $207,625.
According to USDA Market News data, the reported terminal price for 2019 for California dried prunes ranged between $30.02 to $32.59 per 28-pound carton. The average of this range is $31.31 $30.02 plus $32.59 divided by 2
equals $31.31. Dividing the average value by the 28-pound carton yields an estimated average price per pound of $1.12 $31.31 average value for 28pound carton divided by 28.
The handler price for prunes is $2,240
per ton $1.12 per pound multiplied by 2,000 pounds per ton equals $2,240 per ton. Multiplying 201920 California dried prune total production of 110,000
tons by the estimated average price per ton of $2,240 equals $246,400,000.
Dividing this figure by 20 regulated handlers yields estimated average annual handler receipts of $12,320,000.
Therefore, using the above data, the majority of producers and handlers of California dried prunes may be classified as small entities.
As noted above, the average price received per ton by producers in the preceding crop year was $1,510 per ton of salable dried prunes. Given the estimated tonnage of 50,000 tons salable dried prunes for the 202021 crop year, the total producer revenue is estimated to be $75,500,000. The total assessment revenue is expected to be $14,000
50,000 tons multiplied by $0.28 per ton. Thus, the total assessment revenue compared to total producer revenue is 0.019 percent.
This final rule increases the assessment rate collected from handlers for the 202021 and subsequent crop years from $0.25 to $0.28 per ton of salable California dried prunes. The Committee unanimously recommended 202021 crop year expenditures of $24,550 and an assessment rate of $0.28
per ton of salable dried prunes. The $0.28 per ton assessment rate is $0.03
higher than the current rate. The volume of assessable dried prunes for the 2020
21 crop year is estimated to be 50,000
tons. Thus, the $0.28 per ton of salable dried prunes should provide $14,000 in assessment income 50,000 multiplied by $0.28. Income derived from handler assessments, along with carryforward/
contingency funds and interest income, will be adequate to cover budgeted expenses for the 202021 crop year.
Major expenditures recommended by the Committee for the 202021 crop year include $13,700 for personnel expenses and $10,850 for operating
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expenses. Budgeted expenses for these items in the 201920 crop year were $13,300 and $11,200 respectively.
The Committee recommended increasing the assessment rate due to a smaller crop and to provide adequate income, along with carryforward/
contingency funds and interest income, to cover the Committees budgeted expenses for the 202021 crop year.
Prior to arriving at this budget and assessment rate recommendation, the Committee discussed various alternatives, including maintaining the current assessment rate of $0.25 per ton of salable dried prunes, and increasing the assessment rate by a different amount. However, the Committee determined that the recommended assessment rate, along with carryforward/contingency funds and interest income, will adequately fund budgeted expenses.
This final rule increases the assessment obligation imposed on handlers. Assessments are applied uniformly on all handlers, and some of the costs may be passed on to producers. However, these costs are expected to be offset by benefits derived by the operation of the Order.
The Committees meeting was widely publicized throughout the California prune industry. Meetings are public and virtual or in a hybrid style with participants having a choice whether to attend in person or virtually. All interested persons were invited to attend the meeting and encouraged to participate in Committee deliberations on all issues.
The December 10, 2020, meeting was a virtual public meeting, and all entities, both large and small, were able to express views on this issue. Finally, interested persons were invited to submit comments on the proposed rule, including the regulatory and information collection impacts of this action on small businesses.
In accordance with the Paperwork Reduction Act of 1995 44 U.S.C.
Chapter 35, the Orders information collection requirements have been previously approved by OMB and assigned OMB No. 05810178, Vegetable and Specialty Crops. No changes in those requirements will be necessary as a result of this final rule.
Should any changes become necessary, they would be submitted to OMB for approval.
This final rule will not impose any additional reporting or recordkeeping requirements on either small or large California prune handlers. As with all Federal marketing order programs, reports and forms are periodically reviewed to reduce information
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requirements and duplication by industry and public sector agencies.
USDA has not identified any relevant Federal rules that duplicate, overlap, or conflict with this rule.
AMS is committed to complying with the E-Government Act, to promote the use of the internet and other information technologies to provide increased opportunities for citizen access to Government information and services, and for other purposes.
A proposed rule concerning this action was published in the Federal Register on May 12, 2021 86 FR 25975.
Copies of the proposal were provided by the Committee to members and handlers. Finally, the proposed rule was made available through the internet by USDA and Federal Register. A 30-day comment period ending June 11, 2021, was provided to allow interested persons to respond to the proposal. No comments were received. Accordingly, no changes will be made to the rule as proposed.
A small business guide on complying with fruit, vegetable, and specialty crop marketing agreements and orders may be viewed at: https
www.ams.usda.gov/rules-regulations/
moa/small-businesses. Any questions about the compliance guide should be sent to Richard Lower at the previously mentioned address in the FOR FURTHER
INFORMATION CONTACT section.
After consideration of all relevant material presented, including the information and recommendation submitted by the Committee and other available information, it is hereby found that this rule will tend to effectuate the declared policy of the Act.
List of Subjects in 7 CFR Part 993
Marketing agreements, Plum, Prunes, Reporting and recordkeeping requirements.
For reasons set forth in the preamble, 7 CFR part 993 is amended as follows:
PART 993DRIED PRUNES
PRODUCED IN CALIFORNIA
1. The authority citation for 7 CFR
part 993 continues to read as follows:

Authority: 7 U.S.C. 601674.

2. Section 993.347 is revised to read as follows:

993.347

Assessment rate.

On and after August 1, 2020, an assessment rate of $0.28 per ton of
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