(a) Upon any increase in the salable percentage and corresponding decrease in the reserve percentage, the reserve obligation of each handler for the entire crop year to the effective date of such action shall be computed in accordance with such revised salable and reserve percentages. From the reserve almonds that may have been withheld by him and not yet disposed of, any handler authorized to act and acting as agent of the Board in disposing of reserve pursuant to § 981.66 shall be permitted to select, under the supervision and direction of the Board, the particular reserve almonds to be restored to his salable percentage, and such restoration shall be deemed to fulfill the obligation of the Board with respect to such increase.

(b) In the case of handlers who have not been authorized to dispose of their own reserves, and handlers who have terminated their agencies to dispose of their own reserves, prior to an increase in the salable percentage, insofar as practicable each such handler shall be permitted to select almonds from his own reserve to be restored to his salable quantity. In the event there are not sufficient reserve almonds held by the Board at the time the salable percentage is increased, to make full restoration, as represented by the increase in the salable percentage, to all such handlers, the restoration to the salable quantities of the respective handlers shall be pro rata on the basis of certified kernel weight poundage of reserve contributed by said handlers during the crop year to the date of increase of the salable percentage: Provided, That restoration shall be made in a manner that will result, to the extent practicable, in a comparable percentage of reserve disposition for each such handler and that no handler shall receive almonds in excess of his contribution. Such restoration to the salable quantity shall be deemed to fulfill the obligation of the Board with respect to the increase in the salable percentage.

[35 FR 11372, July 16, 1970, as amended at 89 FR 37968, May 7, 2024]