The U.S. Department of Agriculture today announced that it is seeking comments on a proposed rule to expand the national research and promotion program to include coverage of frozen mangos. The National Mango Board recommended that USDA’s Agricultural Marketing Service (AMS) amend regulations regarding the fresh mango national research and promotion program to include frozen mangos and allow frozen mango stakeholders to participate in a coordinated effort to maintain and expand the market for frozen mangos.
The proposed rule would:
- Add definitions for frozen mangos and foreign processor of frozen mangos
- Expand the National Mango Board’s membership from 18 to 21 by adding two importers of frozen mangos and one foreign processor of frozen mangos
- Assess frozen mangos at a rate of $0.01 per pound
- Exempt from assessment importers who import less than 200,000 pounds of frozen mangos annually
The proposed rule was published in the Federal Register April 6, 2018. Comments are due June 5, 2018. Comments may be submitted online at Regulations.gov, faxed to (202) 205-2800 or sent to the Promotion and Economics Division, Specialty Crops Program, AMS, USDA, Room 1406-S, Stop 0244, 1400 Independence Avenue SW., Washington, DC 20250-0244. For more information, contact Marketing Specialist Jeanette Palmer at (202) 720-9915 or Jeanette.Palmer@ams.usda.gov.
More information about the board is available on the National Mango Board page on the AMS website and on the National Mango Board website.
Since 1966, Congress has authorized 22 industry-funded research and promotion boards to provide a framework for agricultural industries to pool their resources and combine efforts to develop new markets, strengthen existing markets and conduct important research and promotion activities. AMS provides oversight, paid for by industry assessments, which helps ensure fiscal accountability and program integrity.
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