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Dated: September 25, 2005. court. Under section 608c(15)(A) of the Appalachian order (25 fully regulated
Michael Chertoff, Act, any handler subject to an order may plants, 7 partially regulated plants, 1
Secretary. request modification or exemption from producer-handler, and 3 exempt plants)
[FR Doc. 05–20346 Filed 10–11–05; 8:45 am] such order by filing with the and a total of 51 plants associated with
BILLING CODE 4410–10–P
Department a petition stating that the the Southeast order (32 fully regulated
order, any provision of the order, or any plants, 6 partially regulated plants, and
obligation imposed in connection with 13 exempt plants). The number of plants
the order is not in accordance with the meeting the small business criteria
DEPARTMENT OF AGRICULTURE
law. A handler is afforded the under the Appalachian and Southeast
Agricultural Marketing Service opportunity for a hearing on the orders were 13 (or 36 percent) and 13
petition. After a hearing, the Department (or 25 percent), respectively.
7 CFR Parts 1005 and 1007 would rule on the petition. The Act The final rule will expand the
provides that the district court of the Appalachian milk marketing area to
[Docket No. AO–388–A15 and AO–366–A44; United States in any district in which include 25 unregulated counties and 15
DA–03–11] the handler is an inhabitant, or has its unregulated cities in the State of
principal place of business, has Virginia that currently are not in any
Milk in the Appalachian and Southeast Federal milk marketing area. Adopted
jurisdiction in equity to review the
Marketing Areas; Order Amending the amendments to the producer milk
Department’s ruling on the petition,
Orders provisions of the Appalachian and
provided a bill in equity is filed not
AGENCY: Agricultural Marketing Service, later than 20 days after the date of the Southeast milk orders will prevent
USDA. entry of the ruling. producers who share in the proceeds of
ACTION: Final rule. a state marketwide pool from
Regulatory Flexibility Act and simultaneously sharing in the proceeds
SUMMARY: This partial final rule amends
Paperwork Reduction Act of a Federal marketwide pool on the
the Appalachian and Southeast In accordance with the Regulatory same milk. In addition, this final rule
marketing orders. Specifically, the final Flexibility Act (5 U.S.C. 601 et seq.), the amends the transportation credit
rule expands the Appalachian milk Agricultural Marketing Service has provisions of the Appalachian and
marketing area, eliminates the ability to considered the economic impact of this Southeast orders.
simultaneously pool the same milk on action on small entities and has certified The final rule amendments that will
the Appalachian or Southeast order and that this rule will not have a significant expand the Appalachian marketing area
on a State-operated milk order that has economic impact on a substantial will likely continue to regulate under
marketwide pooling, and amends the number of small entities. For the the Appalachian order two fluid milk
transportation credit provisions of the purpose of the Regulatory Flexibility distributing plants located in Roanoke,
Southeast and Appalachian orders. The Act, a dairy farm is considered a ‘‘small Virginia, and Lynchburg, Virginia, and
amendments are based on record business’’ if it has an annual gross shift the regulation of a distributing
evidence of a public hearing held revenue of less than $750,000, and a plant located in Mount Crawford,
February 2004. More than the required dairy products manufacturer is a ‘‘small Virginia, from the Northeast order to the
number of dairy farmers approved the business’’ if it has fewer than 500 Appalachian order.
issuance of the amended orders. employees. The amendments will allow the
For the purposes of determining Kroger Company’s (Kroger) Westover
EFFECTIVE DATE: November 1, 2005.
which dairy farms are ‘‘small Dairy plant, located in Lynchburg,
FOR FURTHER INFORMATION CONTACT:
businesses,’’ the $750,000 per year Virginia, that competes for a milk
Antoinette M. Carter, Marketing criterion was used to establish a supply with other Appalachian order
Specialist, USDA/AMS/Dairy Programs, production guideline of 500,000 pounds plants to continue to be regulated under
Order Formulation and Enforcement, per month. Although this guideline does the order if it meets the order’s
STOP 0231—Room 2971, 1400 not factor in additional monies that may minimum performance standards. The
Independence Avenue, SW., be received by dairy producers, it plant has been regulated by the
Washington, DC 20250–0231, (202) 690– should be an inclusive standard for Appalachian order since January 2000.
3465, e-mail address: most ‘‘small’’ dairy farmers. For In addition, the adopted amendments
antoinette.carter@usda.gov. purposes of determining a handler’s will remove the disruption that occurs
SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION: This size, if the plant is part of a larger as a result of the Dean Foods Company’s
administrative action is governed by the company operating multiple plants that (Dean Foods) Morningstar Foods plant,
provisions of Sections 556 and 557 of collectively exceed the 500-employee located in Mount Crawford, Virginia,
Title 5 of the United States Code and, limit, the plant will be considered a shifting its regulatory status under the
therefore, is excluded from the large business even if the local plant has Northeast order.
requirements of Executive Order 12866. fewer than 500 employees. The Appalachian order currently
This final rule has been reviewed During February 2004, the month in contains a ‘‘lock-in’’ provision that
under Executive Order 12988, Civil which the hearing was held, the milk of provides that a plant located within the
Justice Reform. This rule is not intended 7,311 dairy farmers was pooled on the marketing area that meets the order’s
to have a retroactive effect. This rule Appalachian (Order 5) and Southeast minimum performance standard will be
will not preempt any state or local laws, (Order 7) milk orders (3,395 Order 5 regulated by the Appalachian order
regulations, or policies, unless they dairy farmers and 3,916 Order 7 dairy even if the majority of the plant’s Class
present an irreconcilable conflict with farmers). Of the total, 3,252 dairy I route sales are in another marketing
the rule. farmers (or 96 percent) and 3,764 dairy area. The expansion of the Appalachian
The Agricultural Marketing farmers (or 96 percent) were considered marketing area along with the lock-in
Agreement Act of 1937, as amended, (7 small businesses on the Appalachian provision will regulate fluid milk
U.S.C. 601–674) provides that and Southeast orders, respectively. distributing plants physically located in
administrative proceedings must be During February 2004, there were a the marketing area that meet the order’s
exhausted before parties may file suit in total of 36 plants associated with the minimum performance standard even if
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59222 Federal Register / Vol. 70, No. 196 / Wednesday, October 12, 2005 / Rules and Regulations
the majority of their sales are in another has recognized the harm and disorder that is smaller than the industry
Federal order marketing area. that result to both producers and average.
Accordingly, the amendments will handlers when the same milk of a Prior documents in this proceeding:
regulate three distributing plants under producer is simultaneously pooled on Notice of Hearing: Issued January 16,
the Appalachian order: Kroger’s more than one Federal order. When this 2004; published January 23, 2004 (69 FR
Westover Dairy, located in Lynchburg, occurs, producers do not receive 3278).
Virginia; Dean Foods’ Morningstar uniform minimum prices, and handlers Partial Recommended Decision:
Foods plant, located in Mount receive unwarranted competitive Issued May 13, 2005; published May 20,
Crawford, Virginia; and National Dairy advantages. 2005 (70 FR 29410).
Holdings’ Valley Rich Dairy, located in The need to prevent ‘‘double pooling’’ Partial Final Decision: Issued
Roanoke, Virginia. Based on Small became critically important as September 15, 2005; published
Business Administration criteria these distribution areas expanded, orders September 21, 2005 (70 FR 55458).
are all large businesses. merged, and a national pricing surface Findings and Determinations
This final rule contains amendments was adopted. Milk already pooled under
to the transportation credit provisions of The following findings and
a State-operated program and able to
the Appalachian and Southeast orders. determinations hereinafter set forth
simultaneously be pooled under a
The Appalachian and Southeast orders supplement those that were made when
Federal order has essentially the same
contain provisions for a transportation the Appalachian and Southeast orders
undesirable outcomes that Federal
credit balancing fund from which were first issued and when they were
orders once experienced and
payments are made to handlers to amended. The previous findings and
subsequently corrected. Thus,
partially offset the cost of moving bulk determinations are hereby ratified and
amendments to eliminate the ‘‘double
milk into each marketing area to meet confirmed, except where they may
pooling’’ of the same milk on the
fluid milk demands. conflict with those set forth herein.
Appalachian or Southeast order and a
The amendments included in this The following findings are hereby
State-operated milk order that has
final rule will increase the maximum made with respect to each of the
marketwide pooling are included in this
rate of the transportation credit aforesaid orders:
final rule. (a) Findings upon the basis of the
assessment of the Appalachian and
The amendments contained in this hearing record. Pursuant to the
Southeast orders by 3 cents per
final rule will be applied to all provisions of the Agricultural Marketing
hundredweight. Specifically, the
Appalachian and Southeast order Agreement Act of 1937, as amended (7
amendments will increase the
participants (producers and handlers), U.S.C. 601–674), and the applicable
maximum rate of assessment for the
which consist of both large and small rules of practice and procedure
Appalachian order from 6.5 cents per
hundredweight to 9.5 cents per business. Since the adopted governing the formulation of marketing
hundredweight while increasing the amendments in this final rule will be agreements and marketing orders (7 CFR
maximum rate of assessment for the subject to all the orders’ producers and part 900), a public hearing was held
Southeast order from 7 cents per handlers regardless of their size, the upon certain proposed amendments to
hundredweight to 10 cents per provisions are not expected to provide the tentative marketing agreements and
hundredweight. Increasing the a competitive advantage to any to the orders regulating the handling of
transportation assessment rates will participant. Accordingly, the milk in the specified marketing areas.
tend to minimize the exhaustion of the amendments will not have a significant Upon the basis of the evidence
transportation credit balancing fund economic impact on a substantial introduced at such hearing and the
when there is a need to import number of small entities. record thereof, it is found that:
supplemental milk from outside the A review of reporting requirements (1) The said orders as hereby
marketing areas to meet Class I needs. was completed under the Paperwork amended, and all of the terms and
Currently, the Appalachian and Reduction Act of 1995 (44 U.S.C. conditions thereof, will tend to
Southeast orders provide that Chapter 35). It was determined that effectuate the declared policy of the Act;
transportation credits shall apply to the these adopted amendments will have no (2) The parity prices of milk, as
milk of a dairy farmer who was not a impact on reporting, recordkeeping, or determined pursuant to section 2 of the
‘‘producer’’ under the order during more other compliance requirements because Act, are not reasonable in view of the
than two of the immediately preceding they will remain identical to the current price of feeds, available supplies of
months of February through May but requirements. No new forms are feeds, and other economic conditions
not more than 50 percent of the milk proposed and no additional reporting which affect market supply and demand
production of the dairy farmer, in requirements will be necessary. for milk in the aforesaid marketing
aggregate, was received as producer This action does not require areas. The minimum prices specified in
milk under the order during those two additional information collection that the orders as hereby amended are such
months. The adopted amendments requires clearance by the Office of prices as will reflect the aforesaid
contained in this final rule will provide Management and Budget (OMB) beyond factors, insure a sufficient quantity of
the Market Administrator of the currently approved information pure and wholesome milk, and be in the
Appalachian order and the Market collection. The primary sources of data public interest; and
Administrator of the Southeast order the used to complete the forms are routinely (3) The said orders as hereby
discretionary authority to adjust the 50 used in most business transactions. amended regulates the handling of milk
percent milk production standard. Forms require only a minimal amount of in the same manner as, and is applicable
This final rule will prohibit the information which can be supplied only to persons in the respective classes
simultaneous pooling of the same milk without data processing equipment or a of industrial or commercial activity
on the Appalachian or Southeast milk trained statistical staff. Thus, the specified in, marketing agreements upon
marketing orders and on a State- information collection and reporting which a hearing has been held.
operated order that provides for the burden is relatively small. Requiring the (4) All milk and milk products
marketwide pooling of milk. Since the same reports for all handlers does not handled by handlers, as defined in the
1960’s, the Federal milk order program significantly disadvantage any handler order as hereby amended, are in the
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59224 Federal Register / Vol. 70, No. 196 / Wednesday, October 12, 2005 / Rules and Regulations
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