AMS NEWS RELEASE |
AMS Release No. 238-99
Lena Hogan (202) 720-8998
lena.hogan@usda.gov
Billy A. Cox (202) 720-8998
billy.cox@usda.gov
USDA SETS DATE FOR SOYBEAN REQUEST FOR REFERENDUM
WASHINGTON, Sept. 9, 1999--The U.S. Department of Agriculture will provide soybean producers the opportunity to request a referendum on the Soybean Promotion and Research Order as authorized under the Soybean Promotion, Research, and Consumer Information Act from Oct. 20, 1999, through Nov. 16, 1999.
Kathleen A. Merrigan, administrator of USDA's Agricultural Marketing Service said the Request for Referendum will be conducted at USDA's county Farm Service Agency offices. Producers who certify that they produced soybeans from Jan. 1, 1997, through Nov. 16, 1999, are eligible to participate in the petition for a referendum. Only those producers who want a referendum on the order would participate.
Producers can obtain a form to request a referendum either in person, by mail, or by facsimile from Oct. 20, 1999, through Nov. 16, 1999, from county FSA offices. Individual producers and other producer entities would request a referendum at the county FSA office that maintains and processes the producer's administrative farm records. Producers not participating in FSA programs may request a referendum at the county FSA office serving the area where the producer owns or rents land. Mail-in requests must be postmarked by Nov. 16, 1999, and received in the county FSA office by Dec. 2, 1999. Requests made by facsimile or in person must be received in the county FSA office by Nov. 16, 1999.
USDA will conduct a referendum on the order if at least 10 percent of the 600,813 soybean producers petition for a referendum, provided that no more than one-fifth are from any one state.
The Soybean Promotion, Research, and Consumer Information Act requires that every five years, the Secretary of Agriculture, provide soybean producers the opportunity to petition for a referendum. This Request for Referendum will determine if there is sufficient interest among soybean producers in having a vote on whether or not to continue the order.
USDA monitors activities of the United Soybean Board to ensure that they are consistent with the act. To fund the program, producers pay assessments of one-half of one percent of the net market value of the soybeans they market.
Notice of the soybean Request for Referendum will published in the Sept. 13, 1999, Federal Register.
See a Statement made by the American Soybean Association regarding Checkoff Programs Operation & Oversight before the United States Department of Agriculture, Research & Promotion Programs Joint Task Force, Washington, D.C., March 9, 1999.