Walnuts Grown in California; Decreased Assessment Rate

The Department of Agriculture (Department) is adopting, as a final rule, without change, the provisions of an interim final rule which decreased the assessment rate established for the Walnut Marketing Board (Board) for the 1999-2000 and subsequent marketing years from $0.0133 per kernelweight pound to $0.0118 per kernelweight pound of walnuts handled. The Board is responsible for local administration of the marketing order which regulates the handling of walnuts grown in California (order). Authorization to assess walnut handlers enables the Board to incur expenses that are reasonable and necessary to administer the program. The marketing year began August 1 and ends July 31. The assessment rate decrease is possible because the 1999-2000 assessable poundage is expected to total 252,000,000 kernelweight pounds (almost 30 percent higher than last year). The assessment rate will remain in effect indefinitely unless modified, suspended, or terminated.