Vegetables; Import Regulations; Reopening of Comment Period for Filing Written Comments on Removal of Banana and Fingerling Types of Potatoes and Exemption of Potatoes for Potato Salad From the Potato Import Regulation

DEPARTMENT OF AGRICULTURE

Agricultural Marketing Service

7 CFR Part 980

[Docket No. FV96-980-1 PR]

Vegetables; Import Regulations; Reopening of Comment Period for

Filing Written Comments on Removal of Banana and Fingerling Types of

Potatoes and Exemption of Potatoes for Potato Salad From the Potato

Import Regulation

AGENCY: Agricultural Marketing Service, USDA.

ACTION: Proposed rule; reopening comment period.

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SUMMARY: Notice is hereby given that the comment period on the proposed

removal of banana and fingerling types of potatoes and exemption of

potatoes for potato salad from the potato import

[[Page 6139]]

regulation is reopened until March 13, 1997.

DATES: Comments must be received by March 13, 1997.

ADDRESSES: Interested persons are invited to submit written comments

concerning this proposal. Comments must be sent in triplicate to the

Docket Clerk, Fruit and Vegetable Division, AMS, USDA, room 2525-S,

P.O. Box 96456, Washington, DC 20090-6456, Fax Number (202) 720-5698.

All comments should reference the docket number and the date and page

number of this issue of the Federal Register and will be available for

public inspection in the Office of the Docket Clerk during regular

business hours.

FOR FURTHER INFORMATION CONTACT: Tom Tichenor, Marketing Order

Administration Branch, F&V, AMS, USDA, room 2525-S, P.O. Box 96456,

Washington, DC 20090-6456: telephone: (202) 720-6862. Small businesses

may request information on compliance with this proposed regulation by

contacting: Jay Guerber, Marketing Order Information Branch, Fruit and

Vegetable Division, AMS, USDA, P.O. Box 96456, room 2525-S, Washington,

DC 20090-6456; telephone: (202) 720-2491; Fax number: (202) 720-5698.

SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION: A proposed rule was issued on December 23,

1996, and published in the Federal Register (61 FR 67499). The proposed

rule would: (1) Remove banana/fingerling potatoes from provisions of

the potato import regulation (import regulation) and; (2) reclassify

potatoes used to make fresh potato salad as potatoes for processing.

The comment period ended January 22, 1997.

The National Potato Council (Council) requested that additional

time be provided for interested persons to analyze the proposed rule.

The Council stated that members of the industry need additional time to

review all available information before making final comments on the

proposed rule. Reopening the comment period to March 13, 1997, would

allow the Council and other interested persons more time to review the

proposed rule, perform a more complete analysis, and submit any written

comments.

This delay should not substantially add to the time required to

complete this rulemaking action. Accordingly, the period in which to

file written comments is reopened until March 13, 1997. This notice is

issued pursuant to the Agricultural Marketing Agreement Act of 1937.

Authority: 7 U.S.C. 601-674.

Dated: February 5, 1997.

Robert C. Keeney,

Director, Fruit and Vegetable Division.

[FR Doc. 97-3285 Filed 2-10-97; 8:45 am]

BILLING CODE 3410-02-P