Ag News
USDA accepting ballots in National Peanut Board referendum
Posted on Apr 17, 2019 at 0:00 AM
The USDA has published a notice in the Federal Register announcing a referendum among eligible producers of peanuts to determine whether they favor continuance of the Peanut Promotion, Research and Information Order, which authorizes the National Peanut Board.
The referendum will be conducted through May 3. USDA will provide the option for electronic balloting. Further details will be stated in the official ballot instructions, which will be sent by regular U. S. mail or by electronic means to all eligible peanut producers. Voters must return ballots postmarked by May 3, 2019. Ballots returned via express mail or electronic means must show proof of delivery by no later than 11:59 p.m. Eastern Time (ET) on May 3.
To be eligible to vote in this continuance referendum, persons must have produced peanuts and been subject to assessments during the representative period from June 1, 2017 through May 31, 2018.
Under the Commodity Promotion, Research and Information Act of 1996 (Act), the USDA must conduct a referendum every five years or when 10 percent or more of the eligible peanut producers petition the Secretary of Agriculture to hold a referendum to determine if persons subject to assessment favor continuance of the order. The USDA will continue the order if continuance is approved by a simple majority of the producers voting in the referendum.
Jeanette Palmer and Heather Pichelman, PED, SCP, AMS, USDA, Stop 0244, Room 1406-S, 1400 Independence Ave., S.W., Washington, D.C. 20250-0244, are designated as the referendum agents to conduct this referendum.
Any eligible producer who does not receive a ballot should contact the referendum agent as soon as possible. Palmer may be reached at (202) 720-9915 or Jeanette.Palmer@ams.usda.gov. Pichelman may be reached at (202) 720-9915 or heather.pichelman@ams.usda.gov.
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