Dried Prunes Produced in California; Decreased Assessment Rate

This rule decreases the assessment rate from $3.28 to $2.00 per ton of salable dried prunes established for the Prune Marketing Committee (Committee) under Marketing Order No. 993 for the 1999-2000 and subsequent crop years. The Committee is responsible for local administration of the marketing order which regulates the handling of dried prunes grown in California. Authorization to assess dried prune handlers enables the Committee to incur expenses that are reasonable and necessary to administer the program. The assessment rate decrease is possible because the 1999-2000 assessable tonnage is expected to total 173,700 salable tons (74 percent higher than last crop year). The $2.00 assessment rate will allow the Committee to meet its 1999-2000 expenses. The crop year began August 1 and ends July 31. The assessment rate will remain in effect indefinitely unless modified, suspended, or terminated.