Nectarines and Peaches Grown in California; Increased Assessment Rates

The Department of Agriculture (USDA) is adopting, as a final rule, without change, an interim final rule which increased the assessment rate established for the Nectarine Administrative Committee and the Peach Commodity Committee (committees) for the 2003-04 and subsequent fiscal periods from $0.19 to $0.20 per 25-pound container or container equivalent of nectarines and peaches handled. The committees locally administer the marketing orders which regulate the handling of nectarines and peaches grown in California. Authorization to assess nectarine and peach handlers enables the committees to incur expenses that are reasonable and necessary to administer the programs. The fiscal periods run from March 1 through the last day of February. The assessment rates will remain in effect indefinitely unless modified, suspended, or terminated.