Kiwifruit 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 Kiwifruit Administrative Committee (committee) for the 2004-05 and subsequent fiscal periods from $0.045 per 22-pound volume-fill container or container equivalent to $0.002 per pound of kiwifruit. The committee locally administers the marketing order which regulates the handling of kiwifruit grown in California. Authorization to assess kiwifruit handlers enables the committee to incur expenses that are reasonable and necessary to administer the program. The fiscal period began August 1 and ends July 31. The assessment rate will remain in effect indefinitely unless modified, suspended, or terminated.