Domestically Produced Peanuts Handled by Persons Not Subject to Peanut Marketing Agreement No. 146; Marketing Agreement No. 146 Regulating the Quality of Domestically Produced Peanuts

The Department of Agriculture (Department) is adopting as a final rule, without change, an interim final rule which decreased the assessment rate for the Peanut Administrative Committee (Committee) under Marketing Agreement No. 146 (agreement) for the 1997-98 and subsequent crop years. Authorization to assess peanut handlers who have signed the agreement enables the Committee to incur expenses that are reasonable and necessary to administer the program. The Department is also required to impose an administrative assessment on farmers' stock peanuts received or acquired by handlers who are not signatory (non- signatory handlers) to the agreement. Therefore, the assessment rate established under the agreement also must be applied to all non- signatory handlers. The 1997-98 crop year began July 1 and ends June 30. The assessment rate will remain in effect indefinitely unless modified, suspended, or terminated.