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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