The U.S. Department of Agriculture (USDA) has set the dates for the California walnuts continuance referendum. Walnut growers will have an opportunity to vote on whether to continue their federal marketing order between the dates of December 6 and December 31. USDA’s Agricultural Marketing Service will be mailing ballots and voting instructions to all growers who produced walnuts in California from September 1, of 2020 through August 31 of this year.
The marketing order authorizes the California walnut industry and the California Walnut Board to conduct research and marketing promotions, establish quality regulations, and implement volume control, under USDA’s oversight. USDA will consider continuing the marketing order if two-thirds or more of producers voting in the referendum, or producers representing two-thirds or more of the volume of California walnuts, vote in favor. A continuance referendum is required every six years to determine producers’ level of support for the program.
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