Release No. 126-16
WASHINGTON, Aug. 16, 2016 – Pistachio producers in three states will vote from November 1, 2016 through November 18, 2016, on whether to continue their Federal marketing order.
Producers who have produced pistachios in California, Arizona and New Mexico from Sept. 1, 2015 through Aug. 31, 2016, are eligible to vote.
A continuance referendum is required every six years. The U.S. Department of Agriculture’s Agricultural Marketing Service (AMS) would consider terminating the marketing order if two-thirds of voting producers or two-thirds of the volume of pistachios represented in the referendum do not favor continuance.
The pistachio marketing order provides authority for quality regulations, including aflatoxin sampling, analysis, and inspection; and research projects. The Administrative Committee for Pistachios locally administers the marketing order.
Notice of the referendum is published in the Aug. 16, 2016, Federal Register.
AMS will mail ballots and voting instructions to all producers of record. Eligible producers who do not receive ballots may contact Peter Sommers or Jeffrey Smutny by mail at California Marketing Field Office, Marketing Order and Agreement Division, Specialty Crops Program, AMS, USDA; 2202 Monterey Street, Suite 102B, Fresno, California, 93721; by e-mail at Jeffrey.Smutny@ams.usda.gov or Peter.Sommers@ams.usda.gov, by phone at (559) 487-5901, or by fax: (559) 487-5906.
Get the latest Agricultural Marketing Service news at www.ams.usda.gov/news or follow us on Twitter @USDA_AMS. You can also read about us on the USDA blog.
USDA is an equal opportunity provider and employer. To file a complaint of discrimination, write: USDA, Office of the Assistant Secretary for Civil Rights, Office of Adjudication, 1400 Independence Ave., SW, Washington, DC 20250-9410 or call (866) 632-9992 (Toll-free Customer Service), (800) 877-8339 (Local or Federal relay), (866) 377-8642 (Relay voice users).