Dried Prunes Produced in California; Increased Assessment Rate

This rule increases the assessment rate established for the Prune Marketing Committee (Committee) for the 2007-08 and subsequent crop years from $0.40 to $0.60 per ton of salable dried prunes. The Committee locally administers the marketing order that regulates the handling of dried prunes in California. Assessments upon dried prune handlers are used by the Committee to fund reasonable and necessary expenses of the program. The higher assessment rate is needed to offset an anticipated decrease in dried prune production this year. The crop year began August 1 and ends July 31. The assessment rate will remain in effect indefinitely unless modified, suspended, or terminated.