Walnuts Grown in California; Increased Assessment Rate

The Department of Agriculture (USDA) is adopting as a final rule, without change, an interim final rule which increased the assessment rate established for the Walnut Marketing Board (Board) for the 2006-07 and subsequent marketing years from $0.0096 to $0.0101 per kernelweight pound of assessable walnuts. The Board locally administers the marketing order which regulates the handling of walnuts grown in California. Assessments upon walnut handlers are used by the Board to fund reasonable and necessary expenses of the program. The marketing year begins August 1 and ends July 31. The assessment rate will remain in effect indefinitely unless modified, suspended, or terminated.