1560
        S.1766
                       One Hundred Third Congress

                                 of the

                        United States of America


                          AT THE FIRST SESSION

          Begun and held at the City of Washington on Tuesday,
  the fifth day of January, one thousand nine hundred and ninety-three


                                 An Act

  
 
  To amend the Lime Research, Promotion, and Consumer Information Act of 
1990 to cover seedless and not seeded limes, to increase the exemption 
level, to delay the initial referendum date, and to alter the 
composition of the Lime Board, and for other purposes.

    Be it enacted by the Senate and House of Representatives of the 
United States of America in Congress assembled,

SECTION 1. SHORT TITLE.

    This Act may be cited as the ``Lime Research, Promotion, and 
Consumer Information Improvement Act''.

SEC. 2. FINDINGS AND PURPOSE.

    (a) Findings.--Congress finds the following:
        (1) The Lime Research, Promotion, and Consumer Information Act 
    of 1990 was enacted on November 28, 1990, for the purpose of 
    establishing an orderly procedure for the development and financing 
    of an effective and coordinated program of research, promotion, and 
    consumer information to strengthen the domestic and foreign markets 
    for limes.
        (2) The lime research, promotion, and consumer information order 
    required by such Act became effective on January 27, 1992.
        (3) Although the intent of such Act was to cover seedless limes, 
    the definition of the term ``lime'' in section 1953(6) of such Act 
    applies to seeded limes. Therefore, the Act and the order need to be 
    revised before a research, promotion, and consumer information 
    program on seedless limes can go into effect.
        (4) Since the enactment of the Lime Research, Promotion, and 
    Consumer Information Act of 1990, the United States production of 
    fresh market limes has plummeted and the volume of imports has risen 
    dramatically. The drop in United States production is primarily due 
    to damage to lime orchards in the State of Florida by Hurricane 
    Andrew in August 1992. United States production is not expected to 
    reach pre-Hurricane Andrew levels for possibly two to three years 
    because a majority of the United States production of limes is in 
    Florida.
    (b) Purposes.--The purpose of this Act is--
        (1) to revise the definition of the term ``lime'' in order to 
    cover seedless and not seeded limes;
        (2) to increase the exemption level;
        (3) to delay the initial referendum date; and
        (4) to alter the composition of the Lime Board.

SEC. 3. DEFINITION OF LIME.

    Section 1953(6) of the Lime Research, Promotion, and Consumer 
Information Act of 1990 (7 U.S.C. 6202(6)) is amended by striking 
``citrus aurantifolia'' and inserting ``citrus latifolia''.

SEC. 4. REQUIRED TERMS IN ORDERS.

    (a) Composition of Lime Board.--Subsection (b) of section 1955 of 
the Lime Research, Promotion, and Consumer Information Act of 1990 (7 
U.S.C. 6204) is amended--
        (1) in paragraph (1)(A), by striking ``7'' and inserting ``3'';
        (2) in paragraph (2)(B), by striking ``7'' and inserting ``3'';
        (3) in paragraph (2)(F), by adding at the end the following new 
    sentence: ``The Secretary shall terminate the initial Board 
    established under this subsection as soon as practicable after the 
    date of the enactment of the Lime Research, Promotion, and Consumer 
    Information Improvement Act.''; and
        (4) by inserting after paragraph (2)(F) the following new 
    paragraph:
            ``(G) Board allocation.--The producer and importer 
        representation on the Board shall be allocated on the basis of 2 
        producer members and 1 importer member from the district east of 
        the Mississippi River and 1 producer member and 2 importer 
        members from the district west of the Mississippi River.''.
    (b) Terms of Members.--Subsection (b)(4) of such section is 
amended--
        (1) by striking ``Members'' and all that follows through 
    ``appointed--'' and inserting ``The initial members of the Board 
    appointed under the amended order shall serve a term of 30 months. 
    Subsequent appointments to the Board shall be for a term of 3 years, 
    except that--'';
        (2) in subparagraph (A), by striking ``3'' and inserting ``2'';
        (3) in subparagraph (B), by striking ``4'' and inserting ``2''; 
    and
        (4) in subparagraph (C), by striking ``4'' and inserting ``3''.
    (c) De Minimis Exception.--Subsection (d)(5) of such section is 
amended by striking ``35,000'' each place it appears and inserting 
``200,000''.

SEC. 5. INITIAL REFERENDUM.

    Section 1960(a) of the Lime Research, Promotion, and Consumer 
Information Act of 1990 (7 U.S.C. 6209(a)) is amended by striking ``Not 
later than 2 years after the date on which the Secretary first issues an 
order under section 1954(a),'' and inserting ``Not later than 30 months 
after the date on which the collection of assessments begins under the 
order pursuant to section 1955(d),''.







                                Speaker of the House of Representatives.







                             Vice President of the United States and    
                                                President of the Senate.

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