Hazelnuts Grown in Oregon and Washington; Establishment of Interim and Final Free and Restricted Percentages for the 2000-2001 Marketing Year

This final rule is adopting and reinstating, without change, an interim final rule that established interim and final free and restricted percentages for domestic inshell hazelnuts for the 2000-2001 marketing year under the Federal marketing order for hazelnuts grown in Oregon and Washington. This action is necessary because the interim final rule inadvertently allowed the marketing percentages to expire on June 30, 2001. The Department of Agriculture is therefore adopting and reinstating the interim final rule. The marketing percentages established by the interim final rule will continue to apply until all restricted hazelnuts from the 2000-2001 marketing year have been properly disposed of in accordance with marketing order requirements. The percentages allocate the quantity of domestically produced hazelnuts which may be marketed in the domestic inshell market. The percentages are intended to stabilize the supply of domestic inshell hazelnuts to meet the limited domestic demand for such hazelnuts and provide reasonable returns to producers. This rule was recommended unanimously by the Hazelnut Marketing Board (Board), which is the agency responsible for local administration of the marketing order.