The U.S. Department of Agriculture (USDA) today announced a proposed rule to suspend the federal marketing order regulating the handling of dried prunes grown in California.
On March 22, 2023, the Prune Administrative Committee unanimously voted to suspend remaining administrative activities under the marketing order after operating for 18 years without handling regulations. The committee determined that the suspension of handling regulations, and volume control and reporting requirements did not negatively impact the marketing of California prunes. The committee also determined the administrative costs to continue the marketing order outweigh the benefits to industry members. Further, the committee believes that the suspension would provide a cost savings to both large and small handlers and producers.
This action would fully suspend the federal marketing order regulating dried prunes produced in California effective Aug. 1, 2023, through July 31, 2030. The committee would neither conduct nominations for its members nor collect assessments from handlers to pay for administrative and meeting costs. Authority for this action is provided in section 993.90(a) of the marketing order.
The proposed suspension includes a seven-year sunset provision that would extend through the end of the 2029-2030 crop year and would provide industry sufficient time to assess whether reinstating the marketing order is beneficial. If the committee makes no recommendation to reinstate the marketing order by the end of the sunset date, USDA’s Agricultural Marketing Service (AMS) will proceed in terminating the marketing order.
The proposed rule for this action published in the Federal Register on Oct. 12, 2023. Comments must be received by Nov. 13, 2023, to be assured consideration.
More information about the marketing order is available on the 993 California Dried Prunes webpage on AMS’s website. Information about federal marketing orders is available on AMS’s Marketing Orders and Agreements webpage or by contacting the Market Development Division at (202) 720-8085.
Authorized by the Agricultural Marketing Agreement Act of 1937, marketing orders are industry-driven programs that help producers and handlers achieve marketing success by leveraging their own funds to design and execute programs that they would not be able to do individually. AMS provides oversight to fruit vegetable and specialty crops marketing orders to ensure fiscal accountability and program integrity.
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