Onions Grown in South Texas; Amendment of Sunday Packing and Loading Prohibitions

The Department of Agriculture (Department) is adopting as a final rule, with change an interim final rule which removed the restriction prohibiting handlers from packaging and loading onions on Sunday. The order regulates the handling of onions grown in South Texas and is administered locally by the South Texas Onion Committee (Committee). The Committee unanimously recommended removing the prohibition to increase supplies of South Texas onions in the marketplace. Heavy rainfall in the production area during late March and most of April prevented handlers from packing and loading enough onions to meet buyer needs. Removing the prohibition provided handlers additional time to prepare onions for market and meet buyer needs. This rule also changes an erroneous regulatory period ending date which appeared in the interim final rule.