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USDA sets date for soybean referendum request
The U.S. Department of Agriculture announced that it will offer 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.
The request for referendum will be conducted at USDA's county Farm Service Agency offices. To be eligible to participate, producers must certify and provide documentation that shows that they produced soybeans and paid an assessment on the soybeans during the period of Jan. 1, 2002, through Dec. 31, 2003. Only those producers who desire a referendum on the order will participate.
Beginning May 3 and continuing through May 28, producers may obtain a form to request a referendum from county FSA offices either in person or by sending a request by mail or facsimile. Forms may also be obtained via the Internet at www.ams.usda.gov/lsg/mpb/rp-soy.htm. Individual producers and other producer entities may request a referendum at the county FSA office where their administrative farm records are maintained. For the producer not participating in FSA programs, the opportunity to request a referendum will be provided at the county FSA office where the producer owns or rents land. Mail in requests must be postmarked by May 28, and received in the county FSA office by June 7. All other requests made by facsimile or in person, must be received in the county FSA office by May 28.
USDA will conduct a referendum on the order if a least 10 percent of the 663,880 soybean producers request a referendum, provided that no more than one-fifth be producers from one state.
The request for referendum is mandated by the act. The act requires that the secretary of agriculture conduct a request for referendum every five years after the initial referendum, which was conducted in 1994.
USDA monitors activities of the United Soybean Board. The mandatory program is financed by an assessment of one-half of 1 percent of the net market value of the soybeans.
Notice of the soybean request for referendum was published in the March 25 Federal Register.
Date: 5/12/04
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