[Federal Register: November 2, 2007 (Volume 72, Number 212)]
[Rules and Regulations]               
[Page 62105]
From the Federal Register Online via GPO Access [wais.access.gpo.gov]
[DOCID:fr02no07-1]                         


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Rules and Regulations
                                                Federal Register
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[[Page 62105]]



DEPARTMENT OF AGRICULTURE

Agricultural Marketing Service

7 CFR Part 1170

RIN 0581-AC66
[Docket No. AMS-07-0047; DA-06-07]

 
Dairy Product Mandatory Reporting

AGENCY: Agricultural Marketing Service, USDA.

ACTION: Interim final rule; reopening of comment period.

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SUMMARY: The Agricultural Marketing Service (AMS) is reopening the 
comment period for 30 days for the interim final rule for the Dairy 
Product Mandatory Reporting program that was published in the Federal 
Register on July 3, 2007. This reopening of the comment period will 
provide interested parties with an additional opportunity to submit 
comments on all aspects of the program, including but not limited to 
the product specifications and whether there should be a minimum 
transaction volume for reported transactions. AMS will review and 
consider the submitted comments as it promulgates a final rule.

DATES: The comment period for the interim final rule published at 72 FR 
36341, July 3, 2007, is reopened. Comments must be submitted on or 
before December 3, 2007.

ADDRESSES: Comments (four copies) should be submitted to John R. 
Mengel, Chief Economist, USDA/AMS/Dairy Programs, Office of the Chief 
Economist, STOP 0229-Room 2753, 1400 Independence Ave., SW., 
Washington, DC 20250-0229 or faxed to (202) 690-0552. Comments may also 
be submitted at the Federal eRulemaking portal: http://www.regulations.gov.
 All comments should reference the docket number 

and the date and page number of this issue of the Federal Register. 
Comments can be viewed in the Office of the Chief Economist during 
regular business hours, or at: http://www.regulations.gov.


FOR FURTHER INFORMATION CONTACT: John R. Mengel, Chief Economist, USDA/
AMS/Dairy Programs, Office of the Chief Economist, STOP 0229-Room 2753, 
1400 Independence Ave., SW., Washington, DC 20250-0229, (202) 720-7091.

SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION: This program is a statutory requirement 
pursuant to the Agricultural Marketing Act of 1946 [7 U.S.C. 1621 et 
seq.], hereinafter referred to as the ``Act''.
    The Act provides for and accordingly, the interim final rule 
published in the Federal Register on July 3, 2007 (72 FR 36341), 
established a Dairy Product Mandatory Reporting program that: (1) 
Requires persons engaged in manufacturing dairy products to provide to 
the Department of Agriculture (Department) certain information 
including the price, quantity, and moisture content, where applicable, 
of dairy products sold by the manufacturer; and (2) Requires 
manufacturers and other persons storing dairy products to report to the 
Department information on the quantity of dairy products stored.
    This reopening of the comment period will provide interested 
parties with an additional opportunity to submit comments on all 
aspects of the program, including but not limited to the product 
specifications and whether there should be a minimum transaction volume 
for reported transactions. Specifically, AMS also solicits comments on 
whether Kosher dairy products and products produced from milk from cows 
not treated with recombinant bovine somatotropin (rbST) should be 
included in the Dairy Product Prices report, whether these products 
command a premium in the marketplace, and whether there are increased 
production costs associated with manufacturing these products. During 
the initial comment period, some commenters may have limited their 
comments to the issue of forward contracting and to the verification 
aspect of the program.
    AMS seeks comments on all aspects of the program, including those 
specific issues outlined above, and will consider all comments received 
in promulgating a final rule.

    Authority: 7 U.S.C. 1637-1637b, as amended by Pub. L. 106-532, 
114 Stat. 2541 and Pub. L. 107-171, 116 Stat. 207.

    Dated: October 26, 2007.
Kenneth C. Clayton,
Acting Administrator, Agricultural Marketing Service.
[FR Doc. E7-21559 Filed 11-1-07; 8:45 am]

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