Egg Research and Promotion Order; Referendum Procedures

This final rule establishes procedures that the Agricultural Marketing Service (AMS) will use in conducting a referendum to determine whether egg producers favor increasing the assessment they pay to the American Egg Board (AEB) from a rate of 10 cents per 30- dozen case of commercial eggs to 15 cents per case. An amendment to increase the assessment rate in the Egg Research and Promotion Order (Order) will be implemented if it is approved by two-thirds of the egg producers voting in the referendum or by a majority of producers voting if they produced two-thirds of the eggs produced by all voters. These procedures will also be used for subsequent referenda. AEB, which administers the Order, recommended this action to sustain and expand its national promotion, research, and consumer information program.