Hops Produced in Washington, Oregon, Idaho and California; Hearing on Proposed Marketing Agreement and Order No. 991

Riepilogo

Notice is hereby given of a public hearing to consider a proposed marketing agreement and order under the Agricultural Marketing Agreement Act of 1937 to cover hops grown in Washington, Oregon, Idaho and California. The proposal was submitted by the Hop Marketing Order Proponent Committee (committee), a group of industry members who support a marketing order for hops. The proposed order would authorize volume control measures in the form of producer allotments to regulate the marketing of alpha acid in hops in the production area. Alpha acid is a bittering agent used in brewing that is the primary marketable component of hops. The proposed order would also allow for reserve pooling of excess production of alpha acid and would provide for production research, marketing research and development projects to promote the marketing, distribution and consumption or efficient production of hops. The program would be financed by assessments on hop handlers and would be administered by a committee of growers nominated by the industry and appointed by the Department of Agriculture (USDA).