DEPARTMENT OF AGRICULTURE Pennsylvania Peach and Nectarine Research Program; Amendments [26 Pa.B. 4438] Under the applicable provisions of the Pennsylvania Agricultural Commodities Marketing Act of 1968, a referendum was held from August 5 to August 19, 1996, to determine if the producers affected by the Pennsylvania Peach and Nectarine Research Program desired to amend the Program. The amendment increases the rate of assessment from $3 per acre to $5 per acre for each affected producer. An affected producer is defined as a person who produces or grows or causes to be produced or grown 500 or more peach and/or nectarine trees, of all ages, for the production of peaches and/or nectarines for sale or marketing.
In order to pass, a majority by number and by volume of eligible producers voting had to vote in favor of the amendment. An impartial Teller Committee met on August 23, 1996, to count the ballots. The following results were submitted by the Teller Committee: a total of 53 eligible votes were cast, representing 2,628.4 acres of peach and nectarine production, with 38 or 71.7% voting in favor and 15 or 28.3% voting against the amendment. The producers voting in favor of the amendment represented 2,069.9 acres or 78.8% of the total acreage of the producers voting, and the producers voting against the amendment represented 558.5 acres or 21.2% of the total acreage of producers voting. There were three spoiled or ineligible ballots.
Because a majority of the votes by number and by volume were cast in favor of the amendment of the Program, the Pennsylvania Peach and Nectarine Research Program shall be amended as described above.
CHARLES C. BROSIUS,
Secretary[Pa.B. Doc. No. 96-1536. Filed for public inspection September 13, 1996, 9:00 a.m.]
