Vegetable and Specialty Crops Mandatory

OMB No. 0581-0178

TO:

CALIFORNIA

COMMERCIAL

PRUNE DEHYDRATORS

RE:

FRENCH PRUNE DRY-AWAY RATIOS

In accordance with Section 993.162 of Federal Marketing Order No. 993, you are requested to
provide the following historical French prune dry-away information.
1. The most recent six years of dry-away ratios rounded to the nearest hundredth, i.e., 3.10 for
each commercial prune dehydrator you own or operate.
2. The city in or near which each dehydrator is located.
3. The county or counties from which this dehydrator receives prunes.
4. In the case of dehydrators receiving prunes from multiple counties, indicate the estimated
percentage of production each county supplies to this dehydrator. The percentages for each
dehydrator must total 100%.
This information will be used to compute the dried weight equivalent for diverted fresh prune
plums if the California prune industry recommends and USDA approves a voluntary green
diversion program for next crop year. The Prune Marketing Committee needs this information
by June 1, so that computations can be completed and regional dried weight equivalents can be
recommended at the mid-June Supply Management Subcommittee meeting.
The marketing order previously contained dried weight equivalents used in the early 1970's when
the industry has implemented green diversion programs. However, a recent rule change has
given the PMC the flexibility to compute and announce dried weight equivalents by growing
region based on actual dry-away ratios for recent crop years. This will enable growers to be
more equitably credited for diverted tonnage.
Please contact me if you have any questions. Thank you for your help.
Sincerely,

[insert name]
Executive Director

Accordingto the PaperworkReduction Act of 1995,an agency may not conduct or sponsor, and a person is not requiredto
respondto a collection of informationunless it displays a valid OMB control number. The valid OMB control number for this
informationcollection is 0581-0178. The time required to complete this informationcollection is estimated to average 15
minutesper response,including the time for reviewing instructions,searchingexisting data sources, gathering and maintaining
the data needed, and completing and reviewing the collectionof information.
The U.S. Department of Agriculture (USDA) prohibits discrimination in all its programs and activities on the basis of race, color,
national origin, age, disability, and where applicable, sex, marital status, familial status, parental status, religion, sexual
orientation, genetic information, political beliefs, reprisal, or because all or part of an individual's income is derived from any
public assistance program (Not all prohibited bases apply to all programs.) Persons with disabilities who require alternative
means for communication of program information (Braille, large print, audiotape, etc.) should contact USDA's TARGET Center
at (202) 720-2600 (voice and TOD).
To file a complaint of discrimination, write to USDA, Director, Office of Civil Rights, 1400 Independence A venue, S.W.,
Washington, D.C. 20250-9410, or caU (800) 795-3272 (voice) or (202) 720-6382 (TDD). USDA is an equal opportunity provider
and employer.