Noncanning olives means those olives which, pursuant to the requirements of § 932.51(a)(2), are to be disposed of as other than canned ripe olives.

[31 FR 12634, Sept. 27, 1966]

(a) Canned ripe olives of the tree-ripened type means packaged olives, not oxidized in processing, that are prepared from a lot or sublot of natural condition olives of advanced maturity which:

(1) Range in color from pinkish red, with some greenish cast, to black; and

(2) Have not more than 10 percent, by count, of off-color olives (off-color means those olives whose greenish cast covers more than 50 percent of the surface of the individual olives).

(b) [Reserved]

[40 FR 38146, Aug. 27, 1975]

Pursuant to the authority in § 932.35(k), commencing with the term of office beginning June 1, 2005, district means any of the following geographical areas of the State of California:

(a) District 1 shall include the counties of Alpine, Tuolumne, Stanislaus, Santa Clara, Santa Cruz, and all counties north thereof.

(b) District 2 shall include the counties of Mono, Mariposa, Merced, San Benito, Monterey and all counties south thereof.

[70 FR 6326, Feb. 7, 2005]

Pursuant to the authority in §§ 932.25 and 932.35(k), commencing with the term of office beginning June 1, 2005, representation shall be apportioned as follows:

(a) District 1 shall be represented by three producer members and alternates.

(b) District 2 shall be represented by five producer members and alternates.

[70 FR 6326, Feb. 7, 2005]

Members and alternate members on the Committee who represent producers shall be nominated in accordance with the procedures specified in either paragraph (a) or paragraph (b) of this section as the Committee may determine.

(a) Mail ballot voting. (1) The Committee shall schedule a meeting, prior to March 1 of each odd-numbered year, in each producing district for the purpose of selecting candidates for member and alternate member nominations. A notice of such meetings will be mailed to each producer of record in each district. The nomination process is as follows:

(i) Any person who produces olives in a particular district may offer the name of any producer from that district as a candidate for either a member or alternate member position in said district.

(ii) A producer, who produces olives in more than one district, can be selected as a candidate for a member or alternate member position in only one district.

(iii) The Committee will notify by mail producers who are selected as candidates but are not in attendance at such meetings. Such producers have the right to decline such listing on the ballot within 7 days of mailing such notice.

(iv) In the event a producer cannot attend a meeting but wishes to be included on the ballot, that producer may notify the Committee office in writing no later than 7 days after the date of the nomination meeting for the producer's district and request that the producer's name be included on the ballot.

(v) In the event that no candidates or an insufficient number of candidates are selected at such meetings for the producer members and alternates in the respective districts, the Committee will give written notice to producers in said district that additional names may be submitted for the specified position(s).

(2) Following such meetings, and no later than March 15 of each odd-numbered year, the Committee shall prepare and mail a ballot to each producer that delivered olives during that crop year in each district.

(i) A producer who produces olives in more than one district must choose the district in which the producer will vote and notify the Committee of that choice. If the Committee is not notified and more than one ballot is received from such a producer, the first ballot received will be counted. Candidates may only vote in the district in which they are seeking nomination.

(ii) Each ballot will list separately the names of candidates for the member positions and the names of candidates for the alternate member positions for said district.

(iii) A ballot will be mailed to producers of record to give them an opportunity to vote. Committee records will be used to determine the list of producers eligible to cast ballots. However, any producer who is not identified in such records may receive a ballot if the Committee determines that such producer is eligible to participate in nominations in that district.

(iv) A producer may cast a vote for as many candidates as there are member or alternate positions in said district.

(v) The candidate on each list, as prescribed in paragraph (a)(2)(ii) of this section, who receives the most votes will be the nominee for the first position, and until all positions for that district are filled, the candidates receiving the second, third and fourth highest number of votes will be the nominees for the second, third and fourth position respectively.

(vi) In the event of a tie which would result in elimination of a tied candidate, a second ballot with the names of those tied candidates will be mailed to producers in said district for another vote.

(b) Nomination meetings. In lieu of the mail ballot nomination procedure specified in paragraph (a) of this section, the Committee may schedule nomination meetings. In such an event, the following procedure will apply:

(1) Prior to March 15 of each odd-numbered year, the Committee shall schedule a nomination meeting to be held in each district for the purpose of obtaining nominees for producer members and alternate members for such district.

(2) Nominations for members and balloting thereon shall precede nominations and balloting for alternate members.

(3) The candidate for each position who receives the highest number of votes shall be the nominee for the position: Provided, That such candidate receives a majority of the ballots cast. If no candidate receives such a majority, the two candidates who received the highest number of votes shall participate in a run-off balloting to determine which is the nominee.

(c) For the purposes of this section, a producer is a person engaged in a proprietary capacity as a single business unit in the production of olives for market as packaged olives and includes an individual (owner-operated), partnership, corporation, association, institution, or other legal business unit.

(d) Determination of producer eligibility. (1) Only producers (including duly authorized officers or employees of producers) who produced olives within the district shall participate in the nomination and election of producer members and alternates.

(2) Each producer (as defined in paragraph (c) of this section) shall be entitled to cast only one vote for each position.

(3) A producer having olive acreage in more than one district may participate in nominations and elections in only one district. The district in which the producer wishes to participate shall be the producer's choice.

(4) Any member of a producer's family (husband, wife, son or daughter) may vote on behalf of an owner-operated, landlord-tenant, family enterprise, or other farming unit.

(5) Any authorized officer or employee of a corporation which is a producer may vote.

(6) Any authorized member of a partnership which is a producer may vote.

(7) Power of attorney (proxies) for voting purposes are not accepted.

[48 FR 24312, June 1, 1983, as amended at 54 FR 46222, Nov. 2, 1989]

(a) Eligibility requirements. (1) The public member and alternate public member shall not be a producer, handler, or family member (husband, wife, son or daughter) of a producer or handler of olives and shall have no direct financial interest in, nor be engaged in, the commercial production, marketing, buying, grading or processing of olives; nor shall they be either an officer, director, or employee, or family member of an officer, director, or employee of any firm engaged in such activities.

(2) The public member and alternate public member should be able to devote sufficient time and must express a willingness to attend subcommittee and committee activities regularly and to familiarize themselves with the background and economics of the olive industry.

(3) The public member and alternate public member must be residents of California.

(b) Nomination procedures. (1) Prior to April 16 of the year in which nominations are made, the Committee will recommend to the Secretary a public member and alternate public member for the Committee for a two-year term of office beginning June 1 and ending May 31 of odd numbered years.

(2) The Committee will solicit, interview and recommend to the Secretary its nominees for public member and alternate public member.

(3) A majority vote is required in Committee actions concerning the nomination of the public member and alternate public member.

[48 FR 24313, June 1, 1983]

The Committee may conduct meetings by any means of audio and/or audiovisual communication technology available that effectively assembles members and alternates, and facilitates open communication; Provided, That, quorum and voting requirements specified in § 932.36 for physically assembled meetings shall apply. The Committee may also vote electronically; Provided, That, such voting shall be subject to the same requirements specified for mail voting in § 932.36.

[84 FR 4308, Feb. 15, 2019]

(a) The committee shall impose a late payment charge on any handler whose assessment has not been received in the committee's office, or the envelope containing the payment legibly postmarked by the U.S. Postal Service, within 30 days of the invoice date shown on the handler's assessment statement. The late payment charge shall be five percent of the unpaid balance.

(b) In addition to that specified in paragraph (a) of this section, the committee shall impose an interest charge on any handler whose assessment payment has not been received in the committee's office, or the envelope containing the payment legibly postmarked by the U.S. Postal Service, within 30 days of the invoice date. The interest charge shall be the current commercial prime rate of the committee's bank plus two percent which shall be applied to the unpaid balance and late payment charge for the number of days all or any part of the assessment specified in the handler's assessment statement is delinquent beyond the 30-day payment period.

(c) The committee, upon receipt of a late payment equal to or greater than the assessment specified on the handler's assessment statement, shall promptly notify the handler (by registered mail) of any late payment charge and/or interest due as provided in paragraphs (a) and (b) of this section. If such charges are not paid, or the envelope containing payment is not legibly postmarked by the U.S. Postal Service, within 30 days of the date on such notification, late payment and interest charges as provided in paragraphs (a) and (b) of this section will accrue on the unpaid amount.

[49 FR 29210, July 19, 1984, as amended at 88 FR 82233, Nov. 24, 2023]

(a) Except as otherwise provided in this section, the minimum quality requirements prescribed in § 932.52(a)(1) are modified as follows, for specified styles of canned olives of the ripe type:

(1) Canned whole and pitted olives of the ripe type shall meet the minimum quality requirements as prescribed in table 1 of this section;

(2) Canned sliced, segmented (wedged), and halved olives of the ripe type shall meet the minimum quality requirements as prescribed in table 2 of this section;

(3) Canned chopped olives of the ripe type shall meet the minimum quality requirements as prescribed in table 3 of this section; and shall be practically free from identifiable units of pit caps, end slices, and slices (“practically free from identifiable units” means that not more than 10 percent, by weight, of the unit of chopped style olives may be identifiable pit caps, end slices, or slices); and,

(4) Canned broken pitted olives of the ripe type shall meet the minimum quality requirements as prescribed in table 4 of this section;

(5) A lot of canned ripe olives is considered to meet the requirements of this section if all or most of the sample units meet the requirements specified in tables 1 through 4 of this section: Provided, That the number of sample units which do not meet the requirements specified in tables 1 through 4 of this section does not exceed the acceptance number prescribed for in the sample size provided in table I of 7 CFR 52.38: Provided further, That there is no off flavor in any sample unit.

(b) Terms used in this section shall have the same meaning as are given to the respective terms in the current U.S. Standards for Grades of Canned Ripe Olives (7 CFR part 52): Provided, That the definition of “broken pitted olives” is as follows: “Broken pitted olives” consist of large pieces that may have been broken in pitting but have not been sliced or cut.

[62 FR 1242, Jan. 9, 1997]

The minimum quality requirements prescribed in § 932.52 (a)(1) of this part are hereby modified with respect to canned green ripe olives so that no requirements shall be applicable with respect to color and blemishes of such olives.

[62 FR 1244, Jan. 9, 1997]

(a) Inspection stations. Natural condition olives shall be weighed only at inspection stations which shall be a plant of a handler or other place having facilities for weighing such olives: Provided, That such location and facilities are satisfactory to the committee: Provided further, That upon prior application to, and approval by, the committee, a handler may receive olives at an inspection station other than the one where the lot was weighed.

(b) Lot identification. (1) Immediately upon receipt of each lot of natural condition olives, the handler shall complete Form COC 3A or 3C, weight and grade report or such other lot identification form as may be approved by the committee, which shall contain at least the following:

(i) Lot number;

(ii) Date;

(iii) Variety; and

(iv) Number and type containers.

(2) The handler shall maintain identity of such lot of olives with its corresponding lot weight and grade report.

(c) Weighing. Each lot of natural condition olives shall be separately weighed to determine the net weight of olives.

(d) Handler incoming responsibility—(1) General. The handler is responsible for the proper performance of all actions connected with the identification of lots of olives, the weighing of boxes or bins, the taking of samples, and the furnishing of necessary personnel for the carrying out of such actions.

(2) Certification. (i) For each lot of olives that are weighed, the handler shall complete Form COC-3A or 3C, weight and grade report, which shall contain at least the following:

(A) Name of handler;

(B) Name of producer;

(C) County of production;

(D) Applicable lot number;

(E) Weight certificate number;

(F) Net weight;

(G) Number and type of containers;

(H) Date received;

(I) Time received; and

(J) Weight of sample.

(ii) The completed Form COC-3A or 3C shall be furnished to the committee, which shall certify thereon that the lot was weighed as required by § 932.51 if in accordance with the facts.

(e) Disposition of noncanning olives—(1)(i) Notification and inspection of noncanning olives. Prior to disposition of noncanning olives the handler shall complete Form COC-5, report of limited and undersize and cull olives inspection and disposition, which shall contain the following:

(A) Type and number of containers;

(B) Type of olives (undersize or culls);

(C) Net weight;

(D) Variety;

(E) Outlet (green olives, olive oil, etc.); and

(F) Consignee.

(ii) Before disposition of such olives, the completed Form COC-5 shall be furnished to the committee.

(2) Control and surveillance. Noncanning olives that have been reported on Form COC-5 shall, unless such olives are disposed of immediately after receipt, be identified by fixing to each bin or pallet of boxes a COC control card which may be obtained from the committee. Such olives shall be kept separate and apart from other olives in the handler's possession and shall be disposed of only in the outlet shown on Form COC-5.

(3) Time period for disposition. All required disposition of noncanning olives shall be completed not later than September 30 of the crop year following the one in which the obligation is incurred or such later date that a handler may specify in a notice filed with the committee at least 15 days prior to September 15 of such subsequent crop year: Provided, That such notice shows that such handler has a sufficient quantity of olives held in storage to meet his obligation and such later date is not later than the date when he will have completed his disposition of olives of the crop year of obligation.

(4) Olives not subject to incoming regulation requirements. Except as otherwise prescribed in § 932.51(b), any lot of olives to be used solely in the production of green olives or canned ripe olives of the “tree ripened” type shall not be subject to incoming regulation: Provided, That the applicable requirements of § 932.51(b) are met and the handler notifies the committee, in writing, that such lot is to be so used. Notice may be given by writing on the weight certificate “Lot to be used solely for use in the production of green olives or tree ripened olives” and a copy of such weight certificate given to the committee.

(f) Partially exempted lots. (1) Pursuant to § 932.55, any handler may process any lot of natural condition olives for use in the production of packaged olives which has not first been weighed as an individual lot as required by § 932.51(a)(1)(i) but was combined with any other lot or lots of natural condition olives, only if:

(i) All the olives in the combined lot are delivered to the handler in the same day;

(ii) The total net weight of the olives delivered to the handler by any person in such day does not exceed 500 pounds;

(iii) Each such person had authorized combination of his lot with other lots; and

(iv) The combined lot of the natural condition olives is weighed as required by § 932.51(a)(1)(i) prior to processing the olives.

(2) Whenever the natural condition olives in partially exempt individual lots are combined with other such olives as provided in paragraph (f)(1) of this section, the provision of the section applicable on individual lots shall apply instead to a combined lot.

(3) Each such handler shall file with the committee a weekly report showing for each day of the week the respective quantity in combined lots together with each person's authorization for combining lots. The report shall be filed upon a form supplied by the committee.

(g) Additional Marketing Order Size Designations. Pursuant to the authority in § 932.51(a)(1)(ii), the following additional size designations are established:

[31 FR 12635, Sept. 27, 1966, as amended at 33 FR 15631, Oct. 23, 1968; 34 FR 15389, Oct. 2, 1969; 49 FR 34440, Aug. 31, 1984; 49 FR 44448, Nov. 7, 1984; 52 FR 38224, Oct. 15, 1987; 52 FR 49346, Dec. 31, 1987; 81 FR 46569, July 18, 2016]

(a) Inspection stations. Processed olives shall be sampled and inspected only at an inspection station which shall be any olive processing plant having facilities for in-line or lot inspection which are satisfactory to the Inspection Service and the Committee; or an olive processing plant which has an approved Quality Assurance Program in effect.

(b) Inspection—General. Inspection of packaged olives for conformance with § 932.52 shall be by a Quality Assurance Program approved by the Specialty Crops Inspection Division (SCI), USDA; or by in-line or lot inspection. A PPB approved Quality Assurance Program shall be pursuant to a Quality Assurance contract as referred to in § 52.2.

(c) Certification. (1) Each handler shall furnish daily to the Inspection Service a copy of a pack report for the preceding workday which shall contain at least the following:

(i) The total number of cases of packaged olives;

(ii) Number of cans per case;

(iii) Can size;

(iv) Can code;

(v) Variety;

(vi) Fruit size; and

(vii) Style.

(2) The Inspection Service shall issue for each day's pack a signed certificate covering the quantities of such packaged olives which meet all applicable minimum quality and size requirements. Each such certificate shall contain at least the following:

(i) Date;

(ii) Place of inspection;

(iii) Name and address of handler;

(iv) Can code;

(v) Variety;

(vi) Fruit size;

(vii) Can size;

(viii) Style;

(ix) Total number of cases;

(x) Number of cans per case;

(xi) And statement that packaged olives meet the effective minimum quality requirements for canned ripe olives as warranted by the facts.

(d) Olives which fail to meet minimum quality and size requirements. (1) Whenever any portion of a handler's daily pack of packaged olives fails to meet all applicable minimum quality and size requirements, the Inspection Service shall issue a signed report covering such olives. Each such report shall contain at least the following:

(i) Date;

(ii) Place of inspection;

(iii) Name and address of handler;

(iv) Can code;

(v) Variety;

(vi) Fruit size;

(vii) Can size;

(viii) Style;

(ix) Total number of cases;

(x) Number of cans per case; and

(xi) Reason why the applicable requirements were not met.

(2) All such packaged olives shall be kept separate and apart from other packaged olives and shall be so identified by control cards or other means satisfactory to the Inspection Service and the committee that their identity is readily apparent. Such packaged olives may be reprocessed under supervision of the Inspection Service. Any such packaged olives that are not so reprocessed may be disposed of only in accordance with § 932.155.

(e) Examination of certain olives received for use in the production of canned ripe olives of the tree-ripened type. Pursuant to § 932.51(b), whenever a handler receives a lot of natural condition olives or makes a separation resulting in a sublot, solely for use in the production of canned ripe olives of the tree-ripened type he shall, at the time of receiving such lot or making such separation, notify the committee or the Inspection Service of the lot so received or the sublot so created which shall then be subject to examination by the committee, or by the Inspection Service if so designated by the committee, to assure that the olives in such lot or sublot comply with the specifications set forth in § 932.109. Each such handler shall identify all such lots and sublots of natural condition olives and keep them separate and apart from other olives received. Such identification and separation shall be maintained throughout the processing and production of such olives as canned ripe olives of the tree-ripened type.

(f) Size designations. (1) In lieu of the size designations specified in § 932.52(a)(2), except as provided in § 932.51(a) (1) and (2), canned whole ripe olives, other than those of the “tree-ripened” type, shall conform to the marketing order size designations listed in table 1 contained herein, and shall be of a size not smaller than the applicable size requirements, tolerances, and percentages listed in paragraph (h) of this section.

(2) The size of the canned whole olives shall conform with the applicable count per pound range indicated in table I of paragraph (f)(1) of this section. When the count per pound of whole olives falls between two count ranges, the size designation shall be that of the smaller size. The average count for canned whole ripe olives is determined from all containers in the sample and is calculated on the basis of the drained weight of the olives.

(3) Pitted olives must meet the size requirements for canned whole olives specified in paragraphs (f)(1) and (f)(2) of this section prior to pitting, or must meet the size designations specified in § 52.3754 of the U.S. Standards for Grades of Canned Ripe Olives subsequent to pitting, subject to the following minimum size requirements:

(i) Variety group 1 olives, except Ascolano, Barouni, and St. Agostino varieties, shall be at least “Extra Large;”

(ii) Variety group 1 olives of the Ascolano, Barouni, and St. Agostino varieties shall be at least “Large;”

(iii) Variety group 2 olives, except the Obliza variety, shall be at least “Small;”

(iv) Variety group 2 olives of the Obliza variety shall be at least “Medium.”

(g) Size Certification. (1) When limited-use size olives for limited-use styles are authorized during a crop year and a handler elects to have olives sized pursuant to § 932.51(a)(2)(i), any lot of limited-use size olives may be used in the production of packaged olives for limited-use styles if such olives are within the average count range in table II contained herein for that variety group, and meet such further mid-point or acceptable count requirements for the average count range in each size as approved by the committee.

(2) When limited-use size olives are not authorized for limited-use styles during a crop year and a handler elects to have olives sized pursuant to § 932.51(a)(2)(ii), any lot of canning-sized olives may be used in the production of packaged olives for whole, pitted, or limited-use styles if such olives are within the average count range in table III contained herein for that variety group, and meet such further mid-point or acceptable count requirements for the average count range in each size as approved by the committee.

(h) Canned whole ripe olives, other than those of the “tree-ripened” type, shall be of a size not smaller than the following applicable size requirements, tolerances and percentages:

(1) With respect to variety group 1 olives, except Ascolano, Barouni, and St. Agostino varieties, the individual fruits shall each weigh no less than 1/75 pound, except that

(i) For olives of the extra large size designation, not more than 25 percent, by count, of such olives may weigh less than 1/75 pound each including not more than 10 percent, by count, of such olives that weigh less than 1/82 pound each; and

(ii) For olives of any designation except the extra large size, not more than 5 percent, by count, of such olives may weigh less than 1/75 pound each;

(2) With respect to variety group 1 olives of the Ascolano, Barouni, and St. Agostino varieties, the individual fruits shall each weigh not less than 1/105 pound, except that

(i) For olives of the large size designation, not more than 25 percent, by count, of such olives may weigh less than 1/105 pound each including not more than 10 percent, by count, of such olives that weigh less than 1/116 pound each; and

(ii) For olives of any designation except the large size, not more than 5 percent, by count, of such olives may weigh less than 1/105 pound each;

(3) With respect to variety group 2 olives, except the Obliza variety, the individual fruits shall each weigh not less than 1/140 pound, except that

(i) For olives of the small size designation, not more than 35 percent by count, of such olives may weigh less than 1/140 pound each including not more than 7 percent, by count, of such olives that weigh less than 1/160 pound each; and

(ii) For olives of any designation except the small size, not more than 5 percent, by count, of such olives may weigh less than 1/140 pound each;

(4) With respect to variety group 2 olives of the Obliza variety, the individual fruit shall each weigh not less than 1/127 pound, except that

(i) For olives of the medium size designation, not more than 35 percent, by count, of such olives may weigh less than 1/127 pound each including not more than 7 percent, by count, of such olives that weigh less than 1/135 pound each; and

(ii) For olives of any designation except the medium size, not more than 5 percent, by count, of such olives may weigh less than 1/127 pound each.

[31 FR 12635, Sept. 27, 1966, as amended at 33 FR 15632, Oct. 23, 1968; 36 FR 24795, Dec. 23, 1971; 48 FR 54212, Dec. 1, 1983; 52 FR 38224, Oct. 15, 1987; 52 FR 49346, Dec. 31, 1987; 57 FR 36353, Aug. 13, 1992; 59 FR 38106, July 27, 1994; 59 FR 55341, Nov. 7, 1994; 62 FR 1244, Jan. 9, 1997; 88 FR 82233, Nov. 24, 2023]

(a) Minimum quality requirements. On or after August 1, 1996, any handler may use processed olives of the respective variety group in the production of limited use styles of canned ripe olives if such olives were processed after July 31, 1996, and meet the minimum quality requirements specified in § 932.52(a)(1) as modified by § 932.149.

(b) Sizes. On and after August 1, 1996, any handler may use processed olives in the production of limited-use styles of canned ripe olives if such olives were harvested after August 1, 1996, and meet the following requirements:

(1) The processed olives shall be identified and kept separate and apart from any olives harvested before August 1, 1996.

(2) Variety Group 1 olives, except the Ascolano, Barouni, or St. Agostino varieties, shall be of a size which individually weigh at least 1/105 pound: Provided, That no more than 35 percent of the olives in any lot or sublot may be smaller than 1/105 pound.

(3) Variety Group 1 olives of the Ascolano, Barouni, or St. Agostino varieties shall be of a size which individually weigh at least 1/180 pound: Provided, That no more than 35 percent of the olives in any lot or sublot may be smaller than 1/180 pound.

(4) Variety Group 2 olives, except the Obliza variety, shall be of a size which individually weigh at least 1/205 pound: Provided, That not to exceed 35 percent of the olives in any lot or sublot may be smaller than 1/205 pound.

(5) Variety Group 2 olives of the Obliza variety shall be of a size which individually weigh at least 1/180 pound: Provided, That not to exceed 35 percent of the olives in any lot or sublot may be smaller than 1/180 pound.

[61 span 40510, Aug. 5, 1996, as amended at 62 span 1244, Jan. 9, 1997]

(a) Except as hereinafter provided in paragraph (b) of this section, Form COC-6 “Report of Interhandler Transfer” shall be completed by the transferring handler for all lots of processed, but not packaged, olives transferred to another handler within the area and for all lots and sublots of natural condition olives transferred to another handler within the area or shipped to destinations outside the area except fresh market outlets. For natural condition and processed, but not packaged, olives transferred between handlers within the area, two completed copies of said form, signed by the transferring handler, shall accompany the lot or sublot to the receiving handler who shall certify on both copies as to receipt of the olives and forward one copy to the committee within 10 days following receipt of the olives. For natural condition olives transferred by a handler to a destination outside the area, except fresh market outlets, two copies of said form shall be completed by the transferring handler with the words Outside the Area included in the upper right corner of the form and one copy shall be returned to the committee within 10 days following transfer of the olives. The completed form shall contain at least the following information: (1) Name and address of both the transferor and transferee; (2) date of transfer; (3) condition (natural, processed but not packaged); (4) weight, number and size of each type of container; (5) variety; and (6) other identification (undersize olives, culls, style, etc.).

(b) Undersize or cull olives that are transferred from one handler to another and for which the transferring handler desires credit toward satisfaction of his obligation under § 932.51(a)(2) need only be accompanied by two copies of Form COC-5, report of limited and undersize and cull olives inspection and disposition: Provided, That such transfers are carried out under the supervision of the Inspection Service.

(c) No handler may ship any lot or sublot of natural condition olives to a destination outside the area, except fresh market outlets, unless such olives have first been size-graded and meet the disposition and holding requirements applicable under paragraphs (a) (2) and (4) of § 932.51. The size of such transferred olives shall be verified, prior to transfer, by certification issued to the transferring handler by the appropriate inspection service (Federal or Federal-State Inspection Service or the Specialty Crops Inspection Division, USDA).

[31 FR 12636, Sept. 27, 1966, as amended at 36 FR 24795, Dec. 23, 1971; 49 FR 34440, Aug. 31, 1984; 49 FR 44448, Nov. 7, 1984; 88 FR 82233, Nov. 24, 2023]

(a) The disposition of packaged olives covered by § 932.152(d) which are not reprocessed, and new packaged olive products covered under paragraph (b) of this section which have not been disposed of by the end of the test market period, shall be handled in conformity with the applicable provisions of this paragraph.

(1) Under the supervision of the Inspection Service, such packaged olives may be disposed of for use in the production of olive oil or dumped.

(2) Such packaged olives may be disposed of to a charitable organization for use by such organization, provided the following conditions are met:

(i) Any handler who wishes to so dispose of olives shall first file a written application with, and obtain written approval thereof, from the committee. Each such application shall contain at least:

(A) The name and address of the handler and the charitable organization;

(B) The physical location of the charitable organization's facilities;

(C) The quantity, in cases, the variety, size, can size, and can code of the packaged olives; and

(D) A certification from the charitable organization that such olives will be used by the organization and will not be sold.

(ii) Prior to approval, the committee shall perform such verification of the accuracy of the information on the application as it deems necessary. The committee may deny any application if it finds that the required information is incomplete or incorrect, or has reason to believe that the intended receiver is not a charitable organization, or that the handler or the organization has disposed of packaged olives contrary to a previously approved application. The committee shall notify the applicant and the organization in writing of its approval, or denial, of the application. Any such approval shall continue in effect so long as the packaged olives covered thereby are disposed of consistent with this section. The committee shall notify the handler and the organization of each such termination of approval. The handler shall furnish the committee, upon demand, such evidence of disposition of the packaged olives covered by an approved application as may be satisfactory to the committee.

(b) In accordance with the provisions of § 932.55(b), packaged olives to be used in marketing development projects may be handled without regard to § 932.149 provided the following conditions are met. Such olives must be identified to the satisfaction of the Inspection Service and kept separate from other packaged olives. The handler shall submit to the committee for its approval “COC Form 155” at least 10 working days prior to the shipment of such packaged olives to test markets, and report progress or changes to the committee, as requested. The applicant handler shall provide the following information on COC Form 155:

(1) The quantity of olives to be utilized (limited to not more than five percent of the handler's crop year acquisitions);

(2) Specific market outlet;

(3) Flavorings or other ingredients added to the olives;

(4) Style of olives used;

(5) Type of olives used, either black or green ripe;

(6) Container sizes;

(7) Varieties used, whether Ascolano, Barouni, Manzanillo, Mission, Sevillano, etc.;

(8) Sizes of olives utilized;

(9) Approximate dates when the new product will be packaged;

(10) Name and address of requesting handler;

(11) Place of inspection;

(12) Certification that all assessment and reporting requirements in effect under the marketing order will be met prior to shipment;

(13) Certification that all such fruit will be kept separate from other packaged olives and will be so identified by control cards or other means acceptable to the Inspection Service;

(14) Purpose and nature of the request, whether for test marketing, evaluation, market research, etc.; and

(15) An estimate of the amount of time required to complete the test. The committee shall promptly approve or deny the application, and may add limitations to any such approval. Upon approval, the applicant handler shall notify the Inspection Service. Packaged olives so identified and remaining unused at the end of the approved test-market period shall be disposed of according to paragraph (a) of this section.

(c) In accordance with the provisions of § 932.55(b), any handler may use processed olives in the production of packaged olives for repackaging, and ship packaged olives for repackaging, if the packaged olives meet the minimum quality requirements, except for the requirement that the packaged olives possess a reasonably good flavor: Provided, That the failure to possess a reasonably good flavor is due only to excessive sodium chloride.

[33 FR 15632, Oct. 23, 1968, as amended at 39 FR 38221, Oct. 30, 1974; 62 FR 1244, Jan. 9, 1997; 65 FR 4575, Jan. 31, 2000]

Pursuant to § 932.25, handler representation on the Committee is reallocated to provide that the two handlers who handled the largest and second largest total volume of olives during the crop year in which nominations are made and in the preceding crop year shall each be represented by four members and four alternate members.

[65 FR 62994, Oct. 20, 2000]

(a) Reports of olives received. Each handler shall submit to the committee, on a form provided by the committee, for each week (Sunday through Saturday, or such other 7-day period for which the handler has submitted a request and received approval from the committee) and not later than the fourth day after the close of such week, a report showing by size designation and culls the respective quantities of each variety of olives received. In addition thereto, he shall also report the seasonal totals to date of the report.

(b) Sales reports. (1) Each handler shall submit to the committee, on COC Form 21 as provided by the committee, for each month and not later than the 15th day following the end of that month, a report showing the handler's total sales of packaged olives to commercial outlets in the United States, to governmental agencies, and to foreign countries. Such sales shall be reported in the following categories:

(i) Whole and whole pitted styles of canned ripe olives in consumer size containers;

(ii) Whole and whole pitted styles of canned ripe olives in institutional size containers;

(iii) Chopped style of canned ripe olives in all types of containers; and

(iv) Halved, segmented (wedged), and sliced styles of canned ripe olives in all types of containers.

The quantity in each category shall be reported in terms of the equivalent number of cases of 24 No. 300 (300 × 407) size cans.

(2) Each handler shall submit to the committee, on a form provided by the committee, for each month and not more than 15 days after the end of such month, a report showing the total quantity of packaged olives of the ripe and green ripe types sold during the month. Such reports shall include the following information, as applicable:

(i) With respect to the whole, pitted, and broken pitted styles of packaged olives of the ripe or green ripe type, each style shall be reported separately on COC Form 29a in terms of the quantity of each size of olives as designated on the form. Such quantity, or quantities, shall be reported in terms of the total amount packaged in each of the container sizes listed on said form except that the committee may require such reporting in terms of the equivalent number of cases of 24 No. 300 (300 × 407) size cans. Each handler shall report separately the total monthly sales of packaged olives of the green ripe type.

(ii) Limited use styles of packaged olives of the ripe or green ripe type shall be reported in terms of the quantity of each style packaged in each of the container sizes listed on COC Form 29b except that the committee may require such reporting in terms of the equivalent number of cases of 24 No. 300 (300 × 407) size cans.

(c) Report of handler's utilization of limited size olives. Each handler shall submit to the committee, on a form provided by the committee, upon completion of the handler's canning season, but not later than August 1st of each crop year, a report showing the quantities of limited canning size olives used in (1) halved; (2) segmented (wedged); (3) sliced; (4) chopped; (5) acidified; (6) Spanish olives; (7) Sicilian style olives; (8) Greek style olives; (9) olive oil; (10) olives dumped; and (11) any other use (specify such use).

(d) Packaged olive inventory reports. Each handler shall submit an inventory report to the committee, on a form provided by the committee, not later than the 15th day of each month showing the total quantity of packaged olives of the ripe and green ripe types held in storage at all locations on the last day of the preceding month. Such reports shall contain the following information, as applicable:

(1) With respect to the whole, pitted, and broken pitted styles of packaged ripe or green ripe type olives, each style shall be reported separately on COC Form 27a in terms of the packaged quantity of each size designated on the form. Such quantity, or quantities, shall be reported in terms of the total amount packaged in each of the container sizes listed on said form except that the committee may require such reporting in terms of the equivalent number of cases of 24 No. 300 (300 × 407) size cans. Each handler shall report separately the total quantity of any packaged olives of the green ripe type held in storage at all locations.

(2) Halved, sliced, segmented (wedged), and chopped styles of packaged olives of the ripe or green ripe type shall be reported in terms of the quantity of each style packaged in each of the container sizes listed on COC Form 27b except that the committee may require such reporting in terms of the equivalent number of cases of 24 No. 300 (300 × 407) size cans.

(e) Processed olive bulk inventory reports. Each handler shall submit an inventory report to the committee, on a form provided by the committee, not later than the 15th day of each month showing the total quantity of processed olives of the ripe and green ripe types held in bulk storage at all locations on the last day of the preceding month. Such reports shall contain the following information, as applicable:

(1) The total tonnage of processed olives of the ripe and green ripe types, held in storage by the handler, which are of any size that may be used in the production of packaged olives of the whole or the pitted styles shall be reported on COC Form 27c in terms of the total quantity of each size designated on the form.

(2) The total tonnage of processed olives of the ripe and green ripe types, held in storage by the handler, which are of sizes that may be used in the production of packaged olives of the halved, sliced, segmented (wedged), or chopped style shall be reported on COC Form 27b.

(f) Packout reports. Each handler shall submit to the committee, on a form provided by the committee, for each month and not more than 15 days after the end of such month, a report showing the total production of packaged olives of the ripe and green ripe types. Such reports shall include the following information, as applicable:

(1) With respect to the whole, pitted, and broken pitted styles of packaged olives of the ripe or the green ripe types, each style shall be reported separately on COC Form 28a in terms of the total quantity of each size of olives as designated on the form. Such quantity, or quantities, shall be reported in terms of the total amount packaged in each of the container sizes listed on said form except that the committee may require such reporting in terms of the equivalent number of cases of 24 No. 300 (300 × 407) size cans. Each handler shall report separately the total monthly production of packaged olives of the green ripe type.

(2) Halved, sliced, segmented (wedged), and chopped styles of packaged olives of the ripe or green ripe type shall be reported in terms of the quantity of each style packaged in each of the container sizes listed on COC Form 28b except that the committee may require such reporting in terms of the equivalent number of cases of 24 No. 300 (300 × 407) size cans.

[33 FR 15632, Oct. 23, 1968, as amended at 36 FR 24795, Dec. 23, 1971; 47 FR 13118, Mar. 29, 1982; 49 FR 34440, 34441, Aug. 31, 1984; 49 FR 44448, Nov. 7, 1984]

On and after January 1, 2024, an assessment rate of $28 per ton is established for California olives.

[89 FR 57064, July 12, 2024]