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Code · REGISTER · 2026-04-02 · PROPOSED RULES · Agricultural Marketing Agricultural Marketing Service RULES Decreased Assessment Rate: Sweet Onions Grown in the Walla Walla Valley of Southeast Washington and Northeast Oregon, 16539-16541 2026-06375 · Unknown

Unknown. Final rule

4,739 words·~22 min read·/register/2026/04/02/2026-06375·

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--- schema: federal-register doc_type: fedreg source_file: FR-2026-04-02.xml --- 91 63 Thursday, April 2, 2026 Contents Agricultural Marketing Agricultural Marketing Service RULES Decreased Assessment Rate: Sweet Onions Grown in the Walla Walla Valley of Southeast Washington and Northeast Oregon, 16539-16541 2026-06375 NOTICES Hearings, Meetings, Proceedings, etc.: National Organic Standards Board, 16627 2026-06412 Agriculture Agriculture Department See Agricultural Marketing Service See Farm Service Agency See Food Safety and Inspection Service See Foreign Agricultural Service Safety Enviromental Enforcement Bureau of Safety and Environmental Enforcement NOTICES Agency Information Collection Activities;
Proposals, Submissions, and Approvals: Renewable Energy and Alternate Uses of Existing Facilities on the Outer Continental Shelf, 16742-16743 2026-06417 Centers Disease Centers for Disease Control and Prevention NOTICES Charter Amendments, Establishments, Renewals and Terminations: Advisory Board on Radiation and Worker Health, 16714 2026-06403 Hearings, Meetings, Proceedings, etc.: National Committee on Vital and Health Statistics, 16713-16714 2026-06400 Commerce Commerce Department See International Trade Administration See National Institute of Standards and Technology See National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration RULES Acquisition Regulation;
Minor Amendments, 16578-16580 2026-06382 Defense Department Defense Department NOTICES Revised Non-Foreign Overseas Per Diem Rates; Correction, 16683-16691 2026-06413 Education Department Education Department PROPOSED RULES Proposed Waivers and Extensions: Project Period with Funding for the American Indian Vocational Rehabilitation Services Program and the American Indian Vocational Rehabilitation Training and Technical Assistance Center, 16599-16601 2026-06438 NOTICES Competition Announcement:
Parent Information and Training Program, 16691-16692 2026-06436 Employee Benefits Employee Benefits Security Administration NOTICES Exemption: The Goldman Sachs Group, Inc. (Goldman) Located in New York, NY, 16745-16755 2026-06408 Energy Department Energy Department See Federal Energy Regulatory Commission Environmental Protection Environmental Protection Agency RULES Air Quality State Implementation Plans; Approvals and Promulgations: California; Mojave Desert Air Quality Management District;
Replacing Outdated Requirements; Correction, 16555-16556 2026-06386 Connecticut; New Source Review Permit Program State Plan Revision, 16556-16558 2026-06384 Michigan; Detroit 2010 Sulfur Dioxide Redesignation and Maintenance Plan, 16562-16566 2026-06396 Ohio; Muskingum River 2010 Sulfur Dioxide Redesignation and Maintenance Plan, 16558-16562 2026-06397 Ohio; Permit Rules Revisions, 16550-16553 2026-06398 Oregon; 2024 Vehicle Inspection Program Updates, 16553-16555 2026-06388 Authorization of State Hazardous Waste Management Program Revisions:
Ohio, 16566-16578 2026-06395 Lead-Based Paint Poisoning Prevention in Certain Residential Structures; CFR Correction, 16578 2026-06404 PROPOSED RULES Accidental Release Prevention Requirements: Risk Management Programs under the Clean Air Act; Common Sense Approach to Chemical Accident Prevention, 16621 2026-06444 Air Quality State Implementation Plans; Approvals and Promulgations: Finding of Failure to Attain the 2006 24-Hour PM2.5 Standards; California; San Joaquin Valley; Error Correction, 16614-16621 2026-06441 Wisconsin;
Moderate Attainment Plan Elements for Wisconsin's 2015 Ozone Standard Areas, 16605-16614 2026-06442 Clean Air Act Operating Permit Program: California; Monterey Bay Air Resources District, 16621-16623 2026-06443 NOTICES Proposed Settlement Agreement, Stipulation, Order, and Judgment, etc.: CERCLA; Consent for the Baghurst Drive Superfund Site, Upper Salford Township, Montgomery County, PA, 16697 2026-06437 CERCLA; Price-Driscoll Site, Waterford, CT, 16696-16697 2026-06433 Farm Service Farm Service Agency NOTICES Agency Information Collection Activities;
Proposals, Submissions, and Approvals: Direct Loan Servicing-Regular, 16628-16629 2026-06409 Federal Aviation Federal Aviation Administration RULES Airworthiness Directives: Airbus Canada Limited Partnership (Type Certificate Previously Held by C Series Aircraft Limited Partnership (CSALP); Bombardier, Inc.) Airplanes, 16546-16548 2026-06465 PROPOSED RULES Airworthiness Directives: Ontic Engineering and Manufacturing, Inc. Airplanes (Type Certificate Previously Held by M7 Aerospace LLC), 16595-16599 2026-06459 The Boeing Company Airplanes, 16590-16595 2026-06385 2026-06471 NOTICES Airport Property:
DeWitt Field, Old Town Municipal Airport, Old Town, ME, 16808 2026-06377 Federal Communications Federal Communications Commission NOTICES Agency Information Collection Activities; Proposals, Submissions, and Approvals, 16698-16701 2026-06407 Debarment: Federal E-Rate Program, 16701-16709 2026-06399 2026-06410 2026-06415 Federal Deposit Federal Deposit Insurance Corporation NOTICES Privacy Act; Systems of Records, 16710-16713 2026-06428 Federal Energy Federal Energy Regulatory Commission NOTICES Combined Filings, 16692, 16694-16696 2026-06380 2026-06381 Hearings, Meetings, Proceedings, etc.:
Village of Morrisville, VT; Settlement Agreement, 16696 2026-06431 Licenses; Exemptions, Applications, Amendments, etc.: Boott Hydropower, LLC, 16692 2026-06430 Erie Boulevard Hydropower LP, 16692-16694 2026-06432 Federal Motor Federal Motor Carrier Safety Administration NOTICES Exemption Application: Parts and Accessories Necessary for Safe Operation; Loomis Armored US, LLC, 16808-16810 2026-06378 FPISC Federal Permitting Improvement Steering Council NOTICES Agency Information Collection Activities;
Proposals, Submissions, and Approvals, 16697-16698 2026-06330 Federal Reserve Federal Reserve System NOTICES Change in Bank Control: Acquisitions of Shares of a Bank or Bank Holding Company, 16713 2026-06401 Food and Drug Food and Drug Administration NOTICES Priority Review Voucher: Rare Pediatric Disease Product; Kresladi (marnetegragene autotemcel), 16714 2026-06379 Food Safety Food Safety and Inspection Service NOTICES Agency Information Collection Activities; Proposals, Submissions, and Approvals:
State Meat and Poultry Inspection Systems, 16629-16631 2026-06383 Foreign Agricultural Foreign Agricultural Service NOTICES Agency Information Collection Activities; Proposals, Submissions, and Approvals, 16631 2026-06328 Health and Human Health and Human Services Department See Centers for Disease Control and Prevention See Food and Drug Administration See National Institutes of Health See Substance Abuse and Mental Health Services Administration NOTICES Agency Information Collection Activities;
Proposals, Submissions, and Approvals, 16714-16716 2026-06402 2026-06422 Historic Historic Preservation, Advisory Council NOTICES Program Comment to Avoid Duplicative Reviews for the Wireless Communications Facilities Construction and Modification, 16719-16721 2026-06393 Indian Affairs Indian Affairs Bureau NOTICES Reversal of Land Acquisition: Koi Nation of Northern California, Shiloh Site, Sonoma County, CA, 16721-16722 2026-06434 Interior Interior Department See Bureau of Safety and Environmental Enforcement See Indian Affairs Bureau See National Park Service See Reclamation Bureau International Trade Adm International Trade Administration NOTICES Antidumping or Countervailing Duty Investigations, Orders, or Reviews: 1,1,1,2-Tetrafluoroethane (R-134a) from the People's Republic of China, 16640-16641 2026-06448 Certain Corrosion-Resistant Steel Products from the Republic of Korea, 16641-16643 2026-06449 Fresh Tomatoes from Mexico:
Extension of Deadline to Certify, 16639 2026-06420 Granular Polytetrafluoroethylene Resin from India, 16635-16636 2026-06447 Opportunity to Request Administrative Review and Join Annual Inquiry Service List, 16631-16635 2026-06418 Sales at Less Than Fair Value; Determinations, Investigations, etc.: Oleoresin Paprika from India, 16636-16639 2026-06450 International Trade Com International Trade Commission NOTICES Investigations; Determinations, Modifications, and Rulings, etc.:
Certain Video-Capable Electronic Devices, Including Smart Televisions, Monitors, and Components Thereof, 16743-16744 2026-06387 Justice Department Justice Department NOTICES Proposed Consent Decree: Clean Water Act, Material Modification, 16745 2026-06329 Labor Department Labor Department See Employee Benefits Security Administration National Archives National Archives and Records Administration NOTICES Agency Information Collection Activities; Proposals, Submissions, and Approvals:
Consent to Make Inquiries and Release of Information and Records, 16755-16756 2026-06424 National Institute National Institute of Standards and Technology NOTICES Agency Information Collection Activities; Proposals, Submissions, and Approvals: ASKCHIPS Information Collection, 16643-16644 2026-06391 Hearings, Meetings, Proceedings, etc.: Board of Overseers of the Malcolm Baldrige National Quality Award, 16644-16645 2026-06419 National Institute National Institutes of Health NOTICES Hearings, Meetings, Proceedings, etc.:
Center for Scientific Review, 16716-16718 2026-06372 2026-06429 National Eye Institute; Cancellation, 16718 2026-06371 National Oceanic National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration RULES Fisheries of the Exclusive Economic Zone off Alaska: Gulf of Alaska; Final 2026 and 2027 Harvest Specifications for Groundfish; 2026 Rockfish Program Cooperative Allocations, 16581-16582 2026-06472 Reallocation of Pacific Cod in the Bering Sea and Aleutian Islands Management Area, 16583 2026-06425 Reef Fish Fishery of the Gulf of America: 2026 Red Snapper Recreational For-Hire Fishing Season in the Gulf of America, 16580-16581 2026-06421 PROPOSED RULES Reef Fish Fishery of the Gulf of America;
Amendment 62, 16623-16626 2026-06392 NOTICES Agency Information Collection Activities; Proposals, Submissions, and Approvals: Marine Recreational Information Program Fishing Effort Survey, 16647-16648 2026-06390 Hearings, Meetings, Proceedings, etc.: Mid-Atlantic Fishery Management Council, 16645 2026-06427 Permits; Applications, Issuances, etc.: General Provisions for Domestic Fisheries; Exempted Fishing, 16646-16649, 16670-16672 2026-06426 2026-06439 2026-06440 Taking or Importing of Marine Mammals:
Homeporting United States Coast Guard Offshore Patrol Cutters at Naval Station Newport, RI, 16650-16651 2026-06370 Homer Harbor System Four Float Replacement Project, 16651-16670 2026-06453 U.S. Coast Guard Fast Response Cutter Homeporting in Sitka, AK, 16672-16683 2026-06394 Whaling Provisions: Aboriginal Subsistence Whaling Quotas, 16645-16646 2026-06366 National Park National Park Service NOTICES Intended Disposition: U.S. Department of Agriculture, Forest Service, Mark Twain National Forest, Rolla, MO, 16733-16734 2026-06345 U.S.
Department of the Interior, National Park Service, Isle Royale National Park, Houghton, MI, 16728-16729 2026-06362 Inventory Completion: Auburn University at Montgomery, Montgomery, AL, 16723-16724 2026-06354 Big Bone Lick State Historic Site, Kentucky State Parks, Union, KY, 16730 2026-06359 C.T. Hurst Museum, Western Colorado University, Gunnison, CO, 16730-16731 2026-06341 Field Museum, Chicago, IL, 16725-16726 2026-06363 Florida Department of State, Tallahassee, FL, 16724-16725, 16732, 16737-16738 2026-06334 2026-06360 2026-06364 Kansas State Historical Society, Topeka, KS, 16733 2026-06348 Metropolitan Park District of the Toledo Area, Toledo, OH;
Recission, 16722-16723 2026-06350 Peabody Museum of Archaeology and Ethnology, Harvard University, Cambridge, MA, and The Rockwell Museum, Corning, NY, 16736-16737 2026-06344 South Dakota State Historical Society Archaeological Research Center, Rapid City, SD, 16734-16735 2026-06358 U.S. Department of Agriculture, Forest Service, Mark Twain National Forest, Rolla, MO, 16727-16728 2026-06336 Repatriation of Cultural Items: California State University, Fullerton, Fullerton, CA, 16729-16730 2026-06356 Castine Scientific Society D.B.A.
Wilson Museum, Castine, ME, 16731-16732 2026-06342 Hennepin County Library, Minneapolis, MN, 16728 2026-06335 Mills College Art Museum, Northeastern University, Oakland, CA, 16726-16727 2026-06355 Museum of Ventura County, Ventura, CA, 16735 2026-06340 Peabody Museum of Archaeology and Ethnology, Harvard University, Cambridge, MA, 16735-16736 2026-06349 Nuclear Regulatory Nuclear Regulatory Commission RULES List of Approved Spent Fuel Storage Casks: Holtec International HI-STORM UMAX Canister Storage System, Certificate of Compliance No. 1040, Amendment No. 5, 16541-16546 2026-06373 PROPOSED RULES List of Approved Spent Fuel Storage Casks:
Holtec International HI-STORM UMAX Canister Storage System, Certificate of Compliance No. 1040, Amendment No. 5, 16588-16590 2026-06374 Reviews of Reactor Designs Previously Authorized by U.S. Department of Energy or Department of War, 16584-16588 2026-06414 NOTICES Environmental Assessments; Availability, etc.: Southern Nuclear Operating Co., Inc.; Edwin I. Hatch Nuclear Plant, Units 1 and 2; Finding of No Significant Impact, 16756-16759 2026-06389 Personnel Personnel Management Office PROPOSED RULES Administrative Law Judges;
Withdrawal, 16584 2026-06445 Postal Regulatory Postal Regulatory Commission NOTICES New Postal Products, 16759-16760 2026-06423 Postal Service Postal Service PROPOSED RULES Revised Mailing Standards: Firearms, 16601-16605 2026-06376 Reclamation Reclamation Bureau NOTICES Quarterly Status Report of Water Service, Repayment, and Other Water-Related Contract Actions, 16738-16742 2026-06411 Securities Securities and Exchange Commission NOTICES Order: Collateral Broker-Dealers May Pledge When Borrowing Customer Securities, 16770-16772 2026-06365 Self-Regulatory Organizations;
Proposed Rule Changes: Cboe BZX Exchange, Inc., 16805-16807 2026-06353 Financial Industry Regulatory Authority, Inc., 16788-16791 2026-06351 Nasdaq GEMX, LLC, 16760-16763 2026-06338 Nasdaq ISE, LLC, 16785-16788 2026-06352 Nasdaq MRX, LLC, 16772-16775 2026-06343 Nasdaq PHLX LLC, 16775-16777 2026-06346 Nasdaq Texas, LLC, 16782-16785 2026-06333 New York Stock Exchange LLC, 16800-16805 2026-06367 NYSE American LLC, 16791-16800 2026-06347 2026-06361 NYSE Arca, Inc., 16766-16770, 16778-16782 2026-06337 2026-06339 The Nasdaq Stock Market LLC, 16763-16766 2026-06357 Social Social Security Administration RULES Incorrect Terminology in Regulatory Text;
Technical Amendments, 16548-16549 2026-06454 State Department State Department NOTICES Culturally Significant Objects Imported for Exhibition: Anne Frank, 16807 2026-06405 Matisse's Femme au chapeau: A Modern Scandal, 16807 2026-06406 Substance Substance Abuse and Mental Health Services Administration NOTICES List of Certified Laboratories and Instrumented Initial Testing Facilities that Meet Minimum Standards to Engage in Urine Drug Testing, 16718-16719 2026-06435 Surface Transportation Surface Transportation Board NOTICES Exemption:
Acquisition and Operation; TransloadX Railroad Company, Inc.; CSX Transportation, Inc., 16807-16808 2026-06331 Transportation Department Transportation Department See Federal Aviation Administration See Federal Motor Carrier Safety Administration NOTICES Agency Information Collection Activities; Proposals, Submissions, and Approvals, 16810-16811 2026-06332 Treasury Treasury Department See United States Mint U.S. Mint United States Mint NOTICES Hearings, Meetings, Proceedings, etc.:
Citizens Coinage Advisory Committee, 16811 2026-06446 Veteran Affairs Veterans Affairs Department NOTICES Agency Information Collection Activities; Proposals, Submissions, and Approvals: Presidential Memorial Certificate, 16812 2026-06451 Verification of Eligibility for Burial in a National Cemetery, 16811-16812 2026-06452 Hearings, Meetings, Proceedings, etc.: Voluntary Service National Advisory Committee, 16812-16813 2026-06416 Reader Aids Consult the Reader Aids section at the end of this issue for phone numbers, online resources, finding aids, and notice of recently enacted public laws.
To subscribe to the Federal Register Table of Contents electronic mailing list, go to https://public.govdelivery.com/accounts/USGPOOFR/subscriber/new, enter your e-mail address, then follow the instructions to join, leave, or manage your subscription. 91 63 Thursday, April 2, 2026 Rules and Regulations DEPARTMENT OF AGRICULTURE Agricultural Marketing Service 7 CFR Part 956 [Doc. No. AMS-SC-24-0080] Sweet Onions Grown in the Walla Walla Valley of Southeast Washington and Northeast Oregon;
Decreased Assessment Rate AGENCY: Agricultural Marketing Service, USDA. ACTION: Final rule. SUMMARY: This final rule implements a recommendation from the Walla Walla Sweet Onion Marketing Committee (Committee) to decrease the assessment rate established for the 2025 fiscal period and subsequent fiscal periods from $0.20 to $0.17 per 50-pound bag or equivalent for sweet onions grown in the Walla Walla Valley of Southeast Washington and Northeast Oregon. The assessment rate will remain in effect indefinitely until modified, suspended, or terminated.
DATES: Effective May 4, 2026. FOR FURTHER INFORMATION CONTACT: Kelsey Dugan, Marketing Specialist, or Barry Broadbent, Chief, Northwest Region Branch, Market Development Division, Specialty Crops Program, AMS, USDA; Telephone:
(503)326-2724, or Email: *Kelsey.Dugan@usda.gov* or *Barry.Broadbent@usda.gov.* SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION: This action, pursuant to 5 U.S.C. 553, amends regulations issued to carry out a marketing order as defined in 7 CFR 900.2(j). This final rule is issued under the Agricultural Marketing Agreement Act of 1937, as amended (7 U.S.C. 601-674) (the Act), amending Marketing Agreement and Order No. 956 (7 CFR part 956; the Order), regulating the handling of sweet onions grown in the Walla Walla Valley of Southeast Washington and Northeast Oregon. The Committee locally administers the Order and is comprised of producers and handlers of Walla Walla sweet onions operating within the area of production, as well as a public member. This action is exempt from the Office of Management and Budget
(OMB)review process required by Executive Order 12866. This rule amends existing Marketing Order No. 956, as amended (7 CFR part 956), Sweet Onions Grown in the Walla Walla Valley of Southeast Washington and Northeast Oregon, and is necessary for the continued operation of Marketing Order No. 956. Additionally, this action is exempt from the requirements of Executive Order 14192, “Unleashing Prosperity Through Deregulation,” pursuant to section 5(c). This final rule has been reviewed under Executive Order 13175—Consultation and Coordination with Indian Tribal Governments, which requires federal agencies to consider whether their rulemaking actions would have tribal implications. The Agricultural Marketing Service
(AMS)has determined that this final rule is unlikely to have substantial direct effects on one or more Indian tribes, on the relationship between the federal government and Indian tribes, or on the distribution of power and responsibilities between the federal government and Indian tribes. This final rule has been reviewed under Executive Order 12988—Civil Justice Reform. Under the Order now in effect, Walla Walla sweet onion handlers are subject to assessments. Funds to administer the Order are derived from such assessments. It is intended that the assessment rate will be applicable to all assessable Walla Walla sweet onions for the 2025 fiscal period, and continue until amended, suspended, or terminated. The Act provides that administrative proceedings must be exhausted before parties may file suit in court. Under section 608(c)(15)(A) of the Act, any handler subject to an order may file with U.S. Department of Agriculture
(USDA)a petition stating that the order, any provision of the order, or any obligation imposed in connection with the order is not in accordance with law and request a modification of the order or to be exempted therefrom. Such handler is afforded the opportunity for a hearing on the petition. After the hearing, USDA would rule on the petition. The Act provides that the district court of the United States in any district in which the handler is an inhabitant, or has his or her principal place of business, has jurisdiction to review USDA's ruling on the petition, provided an action is filed not later than 20 days after the date of the entry of the ruling. This final rule decreases the assessment rate for Walla Walla sweet onions handled under the Order from $0.20 to $0.17 per 50-pound bag or equivalent for the 2025 fiscal period and subsequent fiscal periods. Sections 956.41 and 956.42 of the Order authorize the Committee, with AMS approval, to formulate an annual budget of expenses and collect assessments from handlers to administer the program. The members of the Committee are familiar with the Committee's needs and with the costs of goods and services in their local area and are able to formulate an appropriate budget and assessment rate. The assessment rate is formulated and discussed in a public meeting, and all directly affected persons have an opportunity to participate and provide input. For the 2023 fiscal period and subsequent fiscal periods, the Committee recommended, and AMS approved, an assessment rate of $0.20 per 50-pound bag or equivalent of Walla Walla sweet onions. That rate continues in effect from fiscal period to fiscal period until modified, suspended or terminated by AMS upon recommendation and information submitted by the Committee or other information available to AMS. The Committee met on December 4, 2024, and unanimously recommended, with a vote of six in favor and none opposed, 2025 fiscal period expenditures of $58,374 and an assessment rate of $0.17 per 50-pound bag or equivalent of Walla Walla sweet onions handled for the 2025 fiscal period and subsequent fiscal periods. In comparison, the 2024 fiscal period budgeted expenditures were $56,330. The $0.17 per 50-pound bag or equivalent assessment rate is $0.03 lower than the rate currently in effect. The Committee recommended decreasing the assessment rate to reduce its reserve funds to within a level authorized under the Order. The Committee estimates 222,950 50-pound bags or equivalent of assessable Walla Walla sweet onions for the 2025 fiscal period, which is 20,800 50-pound bags or equivalent fewer than was projected for the 2024 fiscal period. The Committee derived the recommended assessment rate by considering anticipated expenses, an estimated 222,950 50-pound bags or equivalent of assessable Walla Walla sweet onions, and the amount of funds available in the authorized reserve. The estimated 222,950 50-pound bags or equivalent of Walla Walla sweet onions from the 2025 crop is expected to generate $37,902 in assessment revenue at the new assessment rate (222,950 50-pound bags or equivalent multiplied by $0.17 assessment rate). The income generated from handler assessments, along with $20,472 in reserve funds, should be sufficient to meet the Committee's estimated program expenditures of $58,374 for the 2025 fiscal period. Funds available in the financial reserve (currently about $91,694) will be kept within the maximum permitted by the Order (not to exceed two fiscal period's budgeted expenses, as authorized in § 956.44). The assessment rate will continue in effect indefinitely until modified, suspended, or terminated by AMS upon recommendation and information submitted by the Committee or other available information. Although this assessment rate will be in effect for an indefinite period, the Committee will continue to meet prior to or during each fiscal period to recommend a budget of expenses and consider recommendations for modification of the assessment rate. The dates and times of Committee meetings are available from the Committee or AMS. Committee meetings are open to the public and interested persons may express their views at these meetings. AMS will evaluate Committee recommendations and other available information to determine whether modification of the assessment rate is needed. Further rulemaking would be undertaken as necessary. The Committee's 2025 fiscal period budget, and those for subsequent fiscal periods, will be reviewed and as appropriate, approved by AMS. Final Regulatory Flexibility Analysis Pursuant to requirements set forth in the Regulatory Flexibility Act
(RFA)(5 U.S.C. 601-612), AMS has considered the economic impact of this final rule on small entities. Accordingly, AMS has prepared this final regulatory flexibility analysis. The purpose of the RFA is to fit regulatory actions to the scale of businesses subject to such actions in order that small businesses will not be unduly or disproportionately burdened. Marketing orders issued pursuant to the Act, and the rules issued thereunder, are unique in that they are brought about through group action of essentially small entities acting on their own behalf. There are approximately 12 producers of Walla Walla sweet onions in the production area and eight handlers subject to regulation under the Order. At the time this analysis was prepared, the Small Business Administration
(SBA)defined small agricultural producers of Walla Walla sweet onions as those having annual receipts equal to or less than $3,750,000 (North American Industry Classification System (NAICS) code 111219, Other Vegetable (except Potato) and Melon Farming) and small agricultural service firms as those having annual receipts equal to or less than $34,000,000 (NAICS code 115114, Postharvest Crop Activities) (13 CFR 121.201). The USDA National Agricultural Statistics Service
(NASS)reported an average 2020-2023 Washington dry onion annual producer price of $9.13 to $26.20 per hundredweight. The average over those years was approximately $17.98 per hundredweight, or $8.99 per 50-pound bag or equivalent. Total production of Walla Walla sweet onions for the 2024 season was reported by the Committee to be 283,136 50-pound bags or equivalent. Using the average price from 2020-2023, the most recent years for which there is NASS data, the total 2024 crop value of Walla Walla sweet onions could therefore be estimated to be $2,545,393 (283,136 50-pound bags or equivalent multiplied by $8.99 per 50-pound equivalent). Dividing the estimated crop value by the estimated number of producers yields an estimated average receipt per producer of $212,116 ($2,545,393 divided by 12 producers), which is well below the SBA small agricultural producer threshold of $3,750,000 in annual receipts. According to AMS Market News data, the terminal market price for Walla Walla sweet onions in 2021 (the most recent season for which data is available) was $34.96 per 40-pound carton. Multiplying this figure by 1.25 to adjust for a 50-pound bag or equivalent yields an average 2021 terminal market price of $43.70 per 50-pound bag or equivalent. Multiplying the 2024 Walla Walla sweet onion production of 283,136 50-pound bags or equivalent by the estimated average price per 50-pound bag or equivalent of $43.70 equals $12,373,043 ($34.96 times 1.25 times 283,136). Dividing this figure by the eight regulated handlers yields estimated average annual handler receipts of $1,546,630 ($12,373,043 divided by 8 handlers), which is below the SBA threshold for small agricultural service firms of $34,000,000 in annual receipts. Therefore, using the above data, all of the producers and handlers of Walla Walla sweet onions would be classified as small entities according to the SBA definition. This final rule decreases the assessment rate collected from handlers for the 2025 fiscal period and subsequent fiscal periods from $0.20 to $0.17 per 50-pound bag or equivalent of Walla Walla sweet onions. The Committee unanimously recommended 2025 fiscal period expenditures of $58,374 and an assessment rate of $0.17 per 50-pound bag or equivalent of Walla Walla sweet onions. The new assessment rate of $0.17 is $.03 lower than the current rate. The Committee estimates the industry will handle 222,950 50-pound bags or equivalent of Walla Walla sweet onions during the 2025 fiscal period. Thus, the $0.17 per 50-pound bag or equivalent rate should provide $37,902 in assessment income (222,950 50-pound bags or equivalent multiplied by $0.17). The Committee also expects to use $20,472 from its financial reserve to cover remaining expenses. Income derived from handler assessments, along with reserve funds, should be adequate to meet budgeted expenditures for the 2025 fiscal period. In recent years, the Committee has added to its reserve funds by collecting assessment revenue in excess of budgeted expenditures. The Committee recommended decreasing the assessment rate to refrain from holding excessive funds in its reserve. The Committee will adequately fund 2025 budgeted expenses from assessment revenue and funds from its reserve. This final rule is expected to lower and maintain the Committee's reserve balance at a level that the Committee believes is appropriate and is compliant with the Order's provisions. Prior to arriving at this budget and the assessment rate recommendation, the Committee discussed various alternatives, including maintaining the current assessment rate of $0.20 per 50-pound bag or equivalent as well as decreasing the assessment rate by different amounts. Ultimately, the Committee determined that the recommended assessment rate will be able to fund most of its 2025 fiscal period budgeted expenses, with the remaining balance coming from its financial reserve, which will be kept at a balance authorized by the Order. The assessment rate of $0.17 per 50-pound bag or equivalent of Walla Walla sweet onions was derived by considering anticipated expenses, the projected volume of assessable Walla Walla sweet onions, the projected monetary balance held in reserve, and additional pertinent factors. A review of NASS information indicates that the average producer price for the 2020-2023 crop years was $8.99 per 50-pound bag or equivalent. Further, the Committee reported the quantity of assessable Walla Walla sweet onions harvested in the 2024 fiscal period was 283,136 50-pound bags or equivalent, which yields estimated total producer revenue for the 2024 fiscal period of approximately $2,545,393 ($8.99 per 50-pound bag or equivalent multiplied by 283,136). Therefore, utilizing the assessment rate of $0.17 per 50-pound bag or equivalent, assessment revenue for the 2024 fiscal period, as a percentage of total producer revenue, would be approximately 1.89 percent ($0.17 multiplied by 283,136 per 50-pound bags or equivalent divided by $2,545,393 and multiplied by 100). This final rule decreases the assessment obligation imposed on handlers. Assessments are applied uniformly on all handlers, and some of the costs may be passed on to producers. However, these costs are expected to be offset by the benefits derived by the operation of the Order. Committee meetings are widely publicized throughout the production area. The Walla Walla sweet onion industry and all interested persons are invited to attend the meetings and participate in Committee deliberations on all issues. Like all Committee meetings, the December 4, 2024, meeting was a public meeting and all entities, both large and small, were able to express views on this issue. Finally, interested persons were invited to submit comments on this rule, including the regulatory and information collection impacts of this action on small businesses. In accordance with the Paperwork Reduction Act of 1995, (44 U.S.C. Chapter 35), the Order's information collection requirements have been previously approved by OMB and assigned OMB No. 0581-0178, Vegetable and Specialty Crops. No changes in those requirements are necessary as a result of this final rule. Should any changes become necessary, they would be submitted to OMB for approval. This final rule will not impose any additional reporting or recordkeeping requirements on either small or large Walla Walla sweet onion handlers. As with all Federal marketing order programs, reports and forms are periodically reviewed to reduce information requirements and duplication by industry and public sector agencies. AMS is committed to complying with the E-Government Act, to promote the use of the internet and other information technologies to provide increased opportunities for citizen access to Government information and services, and for other purposes. AMS has not identified any relevant federal rules that duplicate, overlap, or conflict with this final rule. A proposed rule concerning this action was published in the **Federal Register** on October 1, 2025 (90 FR 47245). Copies of the proposed rule were provided to all Walla Walla sweet onion handlers. In addition, the proposal was made available through the internet by AMS and the Office of the Federal Register via *https://www.regulations.gov.* A 30-day comment period ending October 31, 2025, was provided for interested persons to respond to the proposal. AMS received three comments during the comment period. Two comments supported the proposal, while one comment challenged the procedural sufficiency of the rulemaking, asserting that AMS did not adhere to the requirements of the Administrative Procedure Act and the Regulatory Flexibility Act. After review of the comment, AMS determined that all the statutory and procedural requirements for rulemaking have been met regarding this action. Accordingly, AMS made no changes to the rule as proposed. After consideration of all relevant material presented, including the information and recommendations submitted by the Committee and other available information, AMS has determined that this proposed rule is consistent with and effectuates the purposes of the Act. List of Subjects in 7 CFR Part 956 Marketing agreements, Onions, Reporting and recordkeeping requirements. For the reasons set forth in the preamble, 7 CFR part 956 is amended as follows: PART 956—SWEET ONIONS GROWN IN THE WALLA WALLA VALLEY OF SOUTHEAST WASHINGTON AND NORTHEAST OREGON 1. The authority citation for 7 CFR part 956 continues to read as follows: Authority: 7 U.S.C. 601-674. 2. Section 956.202 is revised to read as follows: § 956.202 Assessment rate. On and after January 1, 2025, an assessment rate of $0.17 per 50-pound bag or equivalent is established for Walla Walla sweet onions. Erin Morris, Administrator, Agricultural Marketing Service. [FR Doc. 2026-06375 Filed 4-1-26; 8:45 am]
Connectionstraces to 6
4 references not yet in our index
  • 7 CFR 956
  • 7 CFR 900.2(j)
  • 7 USC 601-674
  • 5 USC 601-612
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Final rule
Cite7 CFR 956
Cite7 CFR 900.2(j)
Cite7 USC 601-674
Cite5 USC 601-612
Cites 10Cited by 0 across 0 sources
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Don't Tread on Me
E Pluribus Unum — out of many, one

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