WASHINGTON — The U.S. Department of Agriculture (USDA) is issuing a final rule requiring walnut handlers in California to report purchase commitments of walnuts sold, but not yet shipped, monthly.
The California Walnut Board recommended this action to obtain information from handlers on their purchase commitments. The information will be submitted using an existing board form and is expected to provide the walnut industry more accurate and timely data regarding monthly supply and demand and enhance the overall marketing efforts of California walnuts. The final rule applies to the federal marketing order regulating walnuts grown in California.
The final rule was published in the Federal Register on Dec. 10, 2020, and goes into effect Jan. 11, 2021.
More information about the marketing order regulating the handling of walnuts grown in California is available on the Agricultural Marketing Service (AMS) 984 California Walnuts webpage, the AMS Marketing Orders and Agreements webpage or by contacting the Marketing Order and Agreement Division at (202) 720-2491.
Authorized by the Agricultural Marketing Agreement Act of 1937, marketing orders are industry-driven programs that help fruit, vegetable and specialty crop 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 29 fruit, vegetable and specialty crop marketing orders and agreements, which helps ensure fiscal accountability and program integrity.
–USDA AMS
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