Milk in the New England and Other Marketing Areas; Notice of Referenda; Determination of Representative Periods and Designation of Referendum Agents

This document announces that referenda will be conducted to determine whether producers favor issuance of the orders regulating the handling of milk in the 11 consolidated marketing areas formed from the current 31 Federal milk marketing orders pursuant to Section 143 of the Federal Agriculture Improvement and Reform Act of 1996 (Farm Bill), 7 U.S.C. 7253. The 31 current Federal milk order marketing areas are merged and, in some cases, expanded and/or divided, to create 11 order areas, and the provisions of the Federal milk marketing orders regulating the handling of milk in the merged areas are set forth in the final decision issued by the Under Secretary on March 12, 1999 (64 FR 16026), as corrected by a document issued by the Administrator, Agricultural Marketing Service, on July 8, 1999 (64 FR 37892).