Domestic Dates Produced or Packed in Riverside County, CA; Increased Assessment Rate

This rule increases the assessment rate established for the California Date Administrative Committee (committee) for the 2005-06 and subsequent crop years from $0.85 to $0.95 per hundredweight of dates handled. The committee locally administers the marketing order which regulates the handling of dates produced or packed in Riverside County, California. Assessments upon date handlers are used by the committee to fund reasonable and necessary expenses of the program. The committee recommended increasing the assessment rate because additional revenues are needed to fund program operations and build up its financial reserve to a more satisfactory level. The crop year began October 1 and ends September 30. The assessment rate will remain in effect indefinitely unless modified, suspended, or terminated.