Soybean producers may request referendum on recent Order

The USDA Agricultural Marketing Service (AMS) announced that soybean producers may request a referendum on the Soybean Promotion and Research Order, as authorized under the Soybean Promotion, Research, and Consumer Information Act. Participation in the Request for Referendum is voluntary, and producers should only participate if they wish to request a referendum on the program.

The results of the Request for Referendum will be published in a notice in the Federal Register. If at least 10 percent of eligible producers, as determined by USDA, participate in the Request for Referendum, a referendum will be held within one year from that determination.

Interested soybean producers may request a referendum during a four-week period beginning on May 6 and ending May 31, 2019. Form LS-51-1, Soybean Promotion and Research Order Request for Referendum, may be downloaded online at: https://www.ams.usda.gov/rules-regulations/research-promotion/soybean?utm_medium=email&utm_source=govdelivery, or obtained by mail, fax, or in person from Farm Service Agency (FSA) county offices during this time. To be eligible to participate, producers must certify that they or the producer entity they are authorized to represent paid an assessment at any time between January 1, 2017 2017, and December 31, 2018.

Completed forms and supporting documentation must be returned to the appropriate county FSA office by fax or in person no later than close of business May 31, 2019, or if returned by mail, must be postmarked by midnight May 31, 2019, and received in the county FSA office by close of business on June 6, 2019.