National Dairy Promotion and Research Program; Final Rule on Amendments to the Order

This document implements amendments to the Dairy Promotion and Research Order (Order). This action is pursuant to the Farm Security and Rural Investment Act of 2002 (2002 Farm Bill) and the Food, Conservation, and Energy Act of 2008 (2008 Farm Bill). The 2002 Farm Bill mandates that the Order be amended to implement an assessment on imported dairy products to fund promotion and research and to add importer representation, initially two members, to the National Dairy Promotion and Research Board (Board). The 2008 Farm Bill specifies a mandatory assessment rate of 7.5 cents per hundredweight of milk, or equivalent thereof, on dairy products imported into the United States. This final rule, in accordance with the 2008 Farm Bill, also amends the term "United States" in the Dairy Production Stabilization Act of 1983 (Act) to mean all States, the District of Columbia, and the Commonwealth of Puerto Rico. Producers in these areas will be assessed 15 cents per hundredweight for all milk produced and marketed.