Assessment Obligations for Non-signatory Handlers; Peanut Handlers Not Subject to Peanut Marketing Agreement No. 146

The Department of Agriculture (Department) is adopting as a final rule, with modifications, the provisions of an interim final rule implementing administrative assessments on handlers who are not signatory (non-signatory handlers) to Peanut Marketing Agreement No. 146 (Agreement). The interim final rule provided notice that the Department would begin assessing non-signatory handlers during the 1994-95 crop year. However, because of an unforeseen delay in installing an assessment collection database, the Department will not begin assessing non-signatory handlers until the 1995-96 crop year. The postponement will allow the installation to be completed and all affected handlers to be notified prior to the beginning of the 1995-96 crop year will be established by the Department in the spring of 1995.