Walnuts Grown in California; Order Amending Marketing Order No. 984

This final rule amends Marketing Order No. 984, which regulates the handling of walnuts grown in California. USDA approved and adopted amendments proposed by the California Walnut Board (the Board) after due consideration of a public hearing record, and after California walnut producers voted in favor of such amendments in a referendum. This rule eliminates mandatory inspection and certification of inshell and shelled walnuts, and of shelled walnuts for processing; creates a new mechanism for determining and collecting handler assessments; adds the authority to charge interest for late payments; establishes an assessment rate of $0.0125 per inshell pound of walnuts; expands the definition of "to handle" to include "receive"; and removes volume control authority. In addition, the Agricultural Marketing Service (AMS) made necessary changes to the marketing order to conform to the amendments adopted.