and as reenacted and amended by the Agricultural Marketing Agreement Act of 1937 (50 Stat. 246), as amended.

(b) The term "Department" means the United States Department of Agriculture.

(c) The term "Secretary" means the Secretary of Agriculture of the United States, or any officer or employee of the Department to whom authority has heretofore been delegated, or to whom authority may hereafter be delegated, to act in his stead.

(d) The term "examiner" means any examiner in the Office of Hearing Examiners, United States Department of Agriculture.

(e) The term "Administrator" means: As to programs relating to fruits, vegetables, tree nuts, hops, and such other commodities as may be assigned to the Agricultural Marketing Service, the Administrator of the Agricultural Marketing Service, and as to programs relating to milk, tobacco, and other commodities and their products as assigned, the Administrator of the Agricultural Stabilization and Conservation Service, with power to redelegate, or any officer or employee of the Department to whom authority has been delegated or may hereafter be delegated to act in their stead.

(f) [Reserved]

(g) The term "FEDERAL REGISTER" means the publication provided for by the act of July 26, 1935 (49 Stat. 500), and acts supplementary thereto and amendatory thereof.

(h) The term "hearing" means that part of the proceeding which involves the submission of evidence.

(i) The term "marketing agreement" means any marketing agreement or any amendment thereto which may be entered into pursuant to section 8b of the act.

(j) The term "marketing order" means any order or any amendment thereto which may be issued pursuant to section 8c of the act, and after notice and hearing as required by said section.

(k) The term "proceeding" means a proceeding upon the basis of which a marketing agreement may be entered into or a marketing order may be issued.

(1) The term "hearing clerk" means the hearing clerk, United States Department of Agriculture, Washington, D.C.

(m) The term "presiding officer" means the examiner conducting a proceeding under the act.

[25 F.R. 5907, June 28, 1960, as amended at 27 F.R. 9939, Oct. 10, 1962]

§ 900.3 Proposals.

(a) A marketing agreement or a marketing order may be proposed by the Secretary or by any other person. If any person other than the Secretary proposes a marketing agreement or marketing order, he shall file with the Administrator a written application, together with at least four copies of the proposal, requesting the Secretary to hold a hearing upon the proposal. Upon receipt of

such proposal, the Administrator shall cause such investigation to be made and such consideration thereof to be given as, in his opinion, are warranted. If the investigation and consideration lead the Administrator to conclude that the proposed marketing agreement or marketing order will not tend to effectuate the declared policy of the act, or that for other proper reasons a hearing should not be held on the proposal, he shall deny the application, and promptly notify the applicant of such denial, which notice shall be accompanied by a brief statement of the grounds for the denial.

(b) If the investigation and consideration lead the Administrator to conclude that the proposed marketing agreement or marketing order will tend to effectuate the declared policy of the act, or if the Secretary desires to propose a marketing agreement or marketing order, he shall sign and cause to be served a notice of hearing, as provided in this subpart.

§ 900.4

Institution of proceeding.

(a) Filing and contents of the notice of hearing. The proceeding shall be instituted by filing the notice of hearing with the hearing clerk. The notice of hearing shall contain a reference to the authority under which the marketing agreement or marketing order is proposed; shall define the scope of the hearing as specifically as may be practicable; shall contain either the terms or substance of the proposed marketing agreement or marketing order or a description of the subjects and issues involved and shall state the industry, area, and class of persons to be regulated, the time and place of such hearing, and the place where copies of such proposed marketing agreement or marketing order may be obtained or examined. The time of the hearing shall not be less than 15 days after the date of publication of the notice in the FEDERAL REGISTER, as provided in this subpart, unless the Administrator shall determine that an emergency exists which requires a shorter period of notice, in which case the period of notice shall be that which the Administrator may determine to be reasonable in the circumstances: Provided, That, in the case of hearings on amendments to marketing agreements or marketing orders, the time of the hearing may be less than 15 days but shall not be less than 3 days after the date of publication of the notice in the FEDERAL REGISTER

(b) Giving notice of hearing and supplemental publicity. (1) The Administrator shall give or cause to be given notice of hearing in the following manner:

(i) By publication of the notice of hearing in the FEDERAL REGISTER;

(ii) By mailing a true copy of the notice of hearing to each of the persons known to the Administrator, to be interested therein;

(iii) By issuing a press release containing the complete text or a summary of the contents of the notice of hearing and making the same available to such newspapers in the

notice of the issuance and terms of the marketing order.

(e) Notice of issuance. After issuance of a marketing order, such order shall be filed with the hearing clerk, and notice thereof, together with notice of the effective date, shall be given by publication in the FEDERAL REGISTER. (7 U.S.C. 610(c).)

§ 900.15 Filing; extensions of time; effective date of filing; and computation of time.

(a) Filing, number of copies. Except as is provided otherwise in this subpart, all documents or papers required or authorized by the foregoing provisions of this subpart to be filed with the hearing clerk shall be filed in quadruplicate. Any document or paper, so required or authorized to be filed with the hearing clerk, shall, during the course of an oral hearing, be filed with the presiding officer.

(b) Extensions of time. The time for the filing of any document or paper required or authorized by the foregoing provisions of this subpart to be filled may be extended by the presiding officer (before the record is certified by the presiding officer) or by the Administrator (after the record is so certified by the presiding officer but before it is transmitted to the Secretary), or by the Secretary (after the record is transmitted to the Secretary) upon request filed, and if, in the judgment of the presiding officer, Administrator, or the Secretary, as the case may be, there is good reason for the extension. All rulings made pursuant to this paragraph shall be filed with the hearing clerk.

(c) Effective date of filing. Any document or paper required or authorized by the foregoing provisions of this subpart to be filled shall be deemed to be filled when it is postmarked or when it is received by the hearing clerk.

(d) Computation of time. Sundays and Federal holidays shall be included in computing the time allowed for the filing of any document or paper: Provided, That, when such time expires on a Sunday or legal holiday, such period shall be extended to include the next following business day.

§ 900.16 Discussion of issues, etc., of proceeding prohibited.

Except as may be provided otherwise in this subpart, no officer or employee of the Department shall, following the close of the hearing in a marketing agreement or marketing order proceeding and prior to the execution of a marketing agreement or the issuance of a marketing order therein, discuss the issues, merits, or evidence involved in the proceeding with any person interested in the result of the proceeding or with any representative of such person: Provided, however, That the provisions of this section shall not preclude an officer or employee who has been duly assigned to, or who has supervision over, a proceeding from discussing with interested persons or their representa

tives matters of procedure in connection with such proceeding. Insofar as the provisions of this section are inconsistent with the provisions of Regulation 1544 of the publication entitled "Regulations of the U.S. Department of Agriculture," the provisions of this section shall prevail.

§ 900.17 Additional documents to be filed with hearing clerk.

In addition to the documents or papers required or authorized by the foregoing provisions of this subpart to be filed with the hearing clerk, the hearing clerk shall receive for filing and shall have custody of all papers, reports, records, orders, and other documents which relate to the administration of any marketing agreement or marketing order and which the Secretary is required to issue or to approve.

§ 900.18

Hearing before Secretary.

The Secretary may act in the place and stead of a presiding officer in any proceeding under this subpart. When he so acts the hearing clerk shall transmit the record to the Secretary at the expiration of the period provided for the filing of proposed findings of fact, conclusions and orders, and the Secretary shall thereupon, after due consideration of the record, issue his final decision in the proceeding: Provided, That he may issue a tentative decision in which event the parties shall be afforded an opportunity to file exceptions before the issuance of the final decision.

Subpart-Rules of Practice Governing Proceedings on Petitions To Modify or To Be Exempted From Marketing Orders

AUTHORITY: §§ 900.50 to 900.71 issued under sec. 5, 49 Stat. 753, as amended; 7 U.S.C. 608c.

§ 900.50 Words in the singular form.

Words in this subpart in the singular form shall be deemed to import the plural, and vice versa, as the case may demand. § 900.51

Definitions.

As used in this subpart, the terms as defined in the act shall apply with equal force and effect. In addition, unless the context otherwise requires:

(a) The term "act" means Public Act No. 10, 73d Congress, as amended and as reenacted and amended by the Agricultural Marketing Agreement Act of 1937, as amended (7 U.S.C. and Sup. 601);

(b) The term "Department" means the United States Department of Agriculture;

(c) The term "Secretary" means the Secretary of Agriculture of the United States, or any officer or employee of the Department to whom authority has heretofore been delegated, or to whom authority may hereafter be delegated, to act in his stead;

(d) The term "examiner" means any examiner in the Office of Hearing Examiners, United States Department of Agriculture;

and as reenacted and amended by the Agricultural Marketing Agreement Act of 1937 (50 Stat. 246), as amended.

(b) The term "Department" means the United States Department of Agriculture.

(c) The term "Secretary" means the Secretary of Agriculture of the United States, or any officer or employee of the Department to whom authority has heretofore been delegated, or to whom authority may hereafter be delegated, to act in his stead.

(d) The term "examiner" means any examiner in the Office of Hearing Examiners, United States Department of Agriculture.

(e) The term "Administrator" means: As to programs relating to fruits, vegetables, tree nuts, hops, and such other commodities as may be assigned to the Agricultural Marketing Service, the Administrator of the Agricultural Marketing Service, and as to programs relating to milk, tobacco, and other commodities and their products as assigned, the Administrator of the Agricultural Stabilization and Conservation Service, with power to redelegate, or any officer or employee of the Department to whom authority has been delegated or may hereafter be delegated to act in their stead.

(f) [Reserved]

(g) The term "FEDERAL REGISTER" means the publication provided for by the act of July 26, 1935 (49 Stat. 500), and acts supplementary thereto and amendatory thereof.

(h) The term "hearing" means that part of the proceeding which involves the submission of evidence.

(i) The term "marketing agreement" means any marketing agreement or any amendment thereto which may be entered into pursuant to section 8b of the act.

(j) The term "marketing order" means any order or any amendment thereto which may be issued pursuant to section 8c of the act, and after notice and hearing as required by said section.

(k) The term "proceeding" means a proceeding upon the basis of which a marketing agreement may be entered into or a marketing order may be issued.

(1) The term "hearing clerk" means the hearing clerk, United States Department of Agriculture, Washington, D.C.

(m) The term "presiding officer" means the examiner conducting a proceeding under the act.

[25 F.R. 5907, June 28, 1960, as amended at 27 F.R. 9939, Oct. 10, 1962]

such proposal, the Administrator shall cause such investigation to be made and such consideration thereof to be given as, in his opinion, are warranted. If the investigation and consideration lead the Administrator to conclude that the proposed marketing agreement or marketing order will not tend to effectuate the declared policy of the act, or that for other proper reasons a hearing should not be held on the proposal, he shall deny the application, and promptly notify the applicant of such denial, which notice shall be accompanied by a brief statement of the grounds for the denial.

(b) If the investigation and consideration lead the Administrator to conclude that the proposed marketing agreement or marketing order will tend to effectuate the declared policy of the act, or if the Secretary desires to propose a marketing agreement or marketing order, he shall sign and cause to be served a notice of hearing, as provided in this subpart.

§ 900.4

Institution of proceeding.

(a) Filing and contents of the notice of hearing. The proceeding shall be instituted by filing the notice of hearing with the hearing clerk. The notice of hearing shall contain a reference to the authority under which the marketing agreement or marketing order is proposed; shall define the scope of the hearing as specifically as may be practicable; shall contain either the terms or substance of the proposed marketing agreement or marketing order or a description of the subjects and issues involved and shall state the industry, area, and class of persons to be regulated, the time and place of such hearing, and the place where copies of such proposed marketing agreement or marketing order may be obtained or examined. The time of the hearing shall not be less than 15 days after the date of publication of the notice in the FEDERAL REGISTER, as provided in this subpart, unless the Administrator shall determine that an emergency exists which requires a shorter period of notice, in which case the period of notice shall be that which the Administrator may determine to be reasonable in the circumstances: Provided, That, in the case of hearings on amendments to marketing agreements or marketing orders, the time of the hearing may be less than 15 days but shall not be less than 3 days after the date of publication of the notice in the FEDERAL REGISTER

(b) Giving notice of hearing and supplemental publicity. (1) The Administrator shall give or cause to be given notice of hearing in the following manner:

(i) By publication of the notice of hearing in the FEDERAL REGISTER;

(ii) By mailing a true copy of the notice of hearing to each of the persons known to the Administrator, to be interested therein;

(iii) By issuing a press release containing the complete text or a summary of the contents of the notice of hearing and making the same available to such newspapers in the