Walnuts Grown in California; Secretary's Decision and Referendum Order on Amendments to Marketing Order No. 984

This decision proposes amendments to Marketing Order No. 984 (Order), which regulates the handling of walnuts grown in California and provides growers with the opportunity to vote in a referendum to determine if they favor the changes. The California Walnut Board (Board), which locally administers the Order, recommended proposed amendments that would add authority for the Board to provide credit for certain market promotion expenses paid by handlers against their annual assessments due under the Order and establish requirements to effectuate the new authority. In addition, the Agricultural Marketing Service (AMS) proposed to make any such changes as may be necessary to conform to any amendment that may result from the public hearing.