COC-149 Handler Nominee Questionnaire

OMB No. 0581-0178

CALIFORNIA OLIVE COMMITTEE

HANDLER NOMINEE QUESTIONNAIRE

Information concerning handler nominees to be used by the Secretary of Agriculture in selecting handler members and alternate handler members of the California Olive Committee (COC) pursuant to the Marketing Agreement and Order Regulating the Handling of Olives Grown in California.

CONFIDENTIAL

Name: ____________________________________ Date of Birth: __________________________________

Address: ________________________________________________ EIN: ________________________

City, State: _______________________________ Zip Code: __________ Phone:______________________

Fax:_______________________ Email:_________________________________________________________

Name of handler you are associated with:___________________________________________________________

Position you hold in firm:_______________________________________________________________________

No. of years with firm:________________ No. of years handler in business:__________________________

Are you, in your own name, also a producer of olives for market as packaged olives? _________________

If so, list varieties, approximate bearing acres, and counties of production:

Variety		Approx. Acreage		County		Variety		Approx. Acreage		County

Are you a member of a cooperative marketing association that handles olives? ______________

If so, give name: ______________________________________________________________________________

Are you a member of any other organization furthering the interests of the olive industry? _________

Is so, give name(s): ____________________________________________________________________________

I will serve as a handler member or alternate handler member of the California Olive Committee.

__________________________ ______________________________________________

Date Signature

HANDLER NOMINEE QUESTIONNAIRE

Marketing order committee members, in their official capacities, are prohibited from taking any action specifically designed to influence legislation, including any attempt to influence public opinion concerning legislation. Committee members may not communicate with any official of a State or Federal legislative body for the purpose of attempting to influence legislation. Committee members are also prohibited from attempting to influence State or Federal government actions or policies or those of foreign governments, except as specifically authorized under the marketing order or expressly approved by the Secretary of Agriculture.

Committee member are specifically precluded from authorizing the expenditure of marketing order funds for the purpose of attempting to influence legislation or government actions.

These same prohibitions apply to committee managers, staff, and contractors except that committee managers may consult with U.S. Department of Agriculture (USDA) employees during the pendency of informal rulemaking actions.

If marketing order committee or subcommittee members or committee employees are sued individually or jointly for errors in judgment, mistakes, or other acts either of omission or commission (except for acts of dishonesty, willful misconduct, or gross negligence) in the conduct of their duties under the marketing agreement or order, they may be authorized legal defense by the Department of Justice (DOJ). Alternatively, legal defense may be provided through private counsel, if recommended by USDA and approved by DOJ. USDA and DOJ enjoy an excellent working relationship with respect to providing legal representation for committee members and employees, either by DOJ or through authorized private counsel. USDA is committed to a comprehensive legal defense policy for all committee members and employees acting within the scope of their authorized committee duties and responsibilities.

The following statements are made in accordance with the Privacy Act of 1974 (U.S.C. 552a) and the Paperwork Reduction Act of 1995, as amended. The authority for requesting the information to be supplied on this form is the Agricultural Marketing Agreement Act of 1937, Secs. 1-19, 48 Stat. 31, as amended, (7 U.S.C. 601-674). Furnishing the requested information is necessary for the administration of the marketing order program.

According to the Paperwork Reduction Act of 1995, an agency may not conduct or sponsor, and a person is not required to respond to a collection of information unless it displays a valid OMB control number. The valid OMB control number for this information collection is 0581-0178. The time required to complete this information collection is estimated to average 6 minutes per response, including the time for reviewing instructions, searching existing data sources, gathering and maintaining the data needed, and completing and reviewing the collection of 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 TDD).

To file a complaint of discrimination, write to USDA, Director, Office of Civil Rights, 1400 Independence Avenue, S.W., Washington, D.C. 20250-9410, or call (800) 795-3272 (voice) or (202) 720-6382 (TDD). USDA is an equal opportunity provider and employer.

COC-149 (Rev. 01/2014. Destroy previous editions.)