(a) Time and place of filing. Applications for the extension of tobacco inspection and price support services to new markets, to warehouses located beyond the geographical limitation for “designated markets” set forth in § 29.1(e) and to additional sales on designated markets shall be filed, in triplicate, with the Hearing Clerk not later than September 15 in the case of flue-cured tobacco, December 1 in the case of Maryland tobacco, and July 15 in the case of burley and all other kinds of tobacco. Applications should be addressed to the Hearing Clerk, U.S. Department of Agriculture, Washington, DC 20250. Applications which are not received by the Hearing Clerk on or before the foregoing cutoff date for the kind of tobacco shall be rejected as untimely filed. After denial of an application for additional inspection and price support services for a marketing season, no application from the same auction market or proposed new market shall be considered for the next consecutive marketing season, unless the application contains a statement by the applicant setting forth new facts that constitute evidence of such a substantial change in conditions since the previous hearing as the review committee as specified in paragraph (h) of this section deems would warrant such further hearing.

(b) Form and content of application. The application shall be in writing, shall set forth the grounds for the application and shall be signed by the applicant or applicants. If an applicant is a corporation, the application shall be executed by a responsible officer of such corporation. The application shall include a statement of the name, address and form of business organization of each party to the application and the location of the proposed new market or additional sale.

(c) Hearings on applications. Following the closing date for filing applications for each kind of tobacco, a hearing or hearings shall be held on the applications, if any, filed for additional inspection and price support services for the kind of tobacco in question. Such hearing or hearings shall be scheduled to begin within 60 days following the closing date for such applications. Notice of hearing shall be issued by the Secretary, filed with the Hearing Clerk, and published in the Federal Register, and a copy shall be mailed by the Hearing Clerk to each applicant. Such publication and mailing shall be not less than 5 days prior to the opening of the hearing.

(d) Hearing officer. A hearing officer shall preside over each such hearing. The hearing officer shall determine the order of procedure at the hearing, shall have power to administer oaths and affirmations, to rule on and admit evidence, and, following the opening of the hearing, to recess the hearing to such other times and places as he deems desirable or necessary.

(e) Scope of hearing and burden of proof. Each applicant shall have the burden of presenting evidence relative to the factors specified in § 29.2(a).

(f) Record and evidence. The proceedings at each such hearing shall be transcribed verbatim. All oral testimony shall be under oath or affirmation. All documentary exhibits shall be submitted in triplicate by the person offering the same. The Hearing Officer shall, insofar as possible, exclude testimony and exhibits which are irrelevant, immaterial, or not of the sort upon which responsible persons are accustomed to rely. Cross-examination shall be allowed only to the extent that the Hearing Officer in his discretion deems it desirable or necessary to develop the material facts.

(g) Briefs. If requested at the hearing, the presiding officer shall fix a time, not to exceed 20 days from the close of the hearing, within which interested persons may mail briefs to the Hearing Clerk.

(h) Certification and referral. As soon as practicable following the close of the hearing, the Hearing Officer shall certify the transcript of the proceedings at the hearing together with all exhibits and shall transmit the same to the Hearing Clerk for referral to a review committee comprised of the Administrator, Agricultural Marketing Service, the Administrator, Agricultural Stabilization and Conservation Service, and a representative of the Office of the Secretary to be designated by the Secretary.

(i) Recommended action. The review committee shall review and consider the applications, hearing record, including exhibits, and all other available information and data relating to applications for each kind of tobacco and shall submit a recommendation thereon to the Secretary.

(j) Final decision. The Secretary shall issue the decision on each application and such decision shall be final: Provided, That any determination that additional services will be provided may be reconsidered and may be vacated if it is subsequently found that any material fact upon which such determination was based was materially erroneous or false, or that the new market or additional sale in question is not functioning as a bona fide auction sale. Such decision shall be filed with the Hearing Clerk who shall mail a true copy thereof, by certified mail, to the applicant.