Nectarines Grown in California; Decreased Assessment Rate

The Department of Agriculture (USDA) is adopting, as a final rule, without change, an interim final rule which decreased the assessment rate established for the Nectarine Administrative Committee (committee) for the 2002-03 and subsequent fiscal periods from $0.20 to $0.19 per 25-pound container or container equivalent of nectarines handled. The committee locally administers the marketing order which regulates the handling of nectarines grown in California. Authorization to assess nectarine handlers enables the committee to incur expenses that are reasonable and necessary to administer the program. The fiscal period runs from March 1 through the last day of February. The assessment rate will remain in effect indefinitely unless modified, suspended, or terminated.