The U.S. Department of Agriculture (USDA) will conduct a referendum Jan. 23 through Feb. 13, 2017, on a proposed amendment to the federal marketing order for cranberries grown in Massachusetts, Rhode Island, Connecticut, New Jersey, Wisconsin, Michigan, Minnesota, Oregon, Washington, and Long Island in the State of New York.
The referendum will gauge support for providing the Cranberry Marketing Committee with authority to receive and expend voluntary contribution from domestic sources. The amendment was recommended by the committee and was published as a proposed rule in the Aug. 4, 2016, Federal Register.
Eligible voters in the referendum are cranberry producers and processors in the production area. USDA will mail ballot materials on Jan. 20, 2017, to all known producers that produced cranberries grown in the designated area between Sept. 1, 2015, and Aug. 31, 2016. Processors conducting business during the same time period will also receive ballots.
The proposed amendment becomes effective if approved by two-thirds of growers voting, or by those voting in the referendum representing at least two-thirds of the volume of cranberries. Processors who have processed more than 50 percent of the total volume of cranberries during a representative period must also approve the amendment. Notice of the referendum was published in the Dec. 21, 2016, Federal Register.
USDA’s Agricultural Marketing Service (AMS) will mail ballots and voting instructions to all eligible producers and processors on record. Eligible voters not receiving a ballot may contact Doris Jamieson or Christian Nissen at USDA’s Marketing Order and Agreement Division, Southeast Marketing Field Office by phone at (863) 324-3375 or fax (863) 325-8793.