AMS Announces Continuance Referendum on Blueberry Order to be Conducted from August 1 - 22, 2006
The Agricultural Marketing Service (AMS) has announced that a referendum will be conduced among eligible producers and importers of blueberries to determine whether they favor continuance of the Blueberry Promotion, Research, and Information Order (Blueberry Order).
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According to AMS, the Blueberry Order will be continued if its continuance is approved by a majority of the producers and importers voting in the referendum who also represent a majority of the volume of blueberries produced or imported during the representative period.
Referendum to be Held from August 1-22, 2006 for Eligible Producers, Importers
AMS explains that referendum agents will mail ballots to be cast in the referendum and voting instructions to all known producers and importers prior to the first day of the voting period. Persons who are producers and importers who paid assessments during the representative period of November 1, 2004 through October 31, 2005 are eligible to vote. APHIS states that ballots must be received by the referendum agent beginning August 1, 2006 through 4:30 p.m. EDT on August 22, 2006 in order to be counted.
AMS estimates that there are approximately 1,586 producers and 135 importers who will be eligible to vote in the referendum. AMS notes that persons who received an exemption from assessment for the entire representative period are ineligible to vote.
Background on Blueberry Continuance Referendum
According to AMS, the Commodity Promotion, Research, and Information Act of 1996 (Public Law (P.L.) 104-427), provides that a referendum is to be conducted not later than seven years after assessment first begin under an order to ascertain whether continuance of the Order is favored by producers and importers of blueberries.
The initial referendum was conducted during the period of March 13 - April 14, 2000 and the final results indicated that 67.84% of votes in the referendum favored implementation of the Blueberry Order. Those voting in favor represented 73.15% of the volume represented in the referendum. Therefore, the Blueberry Order became effective July 17, 2000.
(See ITT's Online Archives or 04/01/02 news, 02040115, for BP summary of the beginning of Customs' collection of Blueberry fees on May 1, 2002.)
AMS Contact - Referendum Agent (888) 720-9917
AMS Notice (D/N FV-06-702-Notice, FR Pub 05/26/06) available athttp://a257.g.akamaitech.net/7/257/2422/01jan20061800/edocket.access.gpo.gov/2006/pdf/E6-8101.pdf