Olives Grown in California; Modification to Handler Membership on the California Olive Committee

The Department of Agriculture (Department) is adopting, as a final rule, without change, the provisions of an interim final rule modifying the handler membership on the California Olive Committee (committee). The committee locally administers the California olive marketing order (order) which regulates the handling of olives grown in California. The committee is composed of 16 industry members of which 8 are producers and 8 are handlers. Previously, handler membership was allocated between cooperative marketing organizations and independent handlers (handlers not affiliated with cooperatives), and the number of handler members who may have been affiliated with any one handler was limited to two. This rule continues in effect the removal of the distinction between cooperative and independent handlers, continues in effect the removal of the limitation on handler affiliation, and continues in effect the reallocation of handler membership on the basis of the total quantity of olives handled. These modifications will allow two vacant handler member positions on the committee to be filled. This rule was unanimously recommended by the committee.