To Be or Not to Be: The Pecan Referendum
With your Southeast Regional Ag News, I am Haylie Shipp. This is the Ag Information Network.
The USDA will conduct a referendum May 10 through June 24 for eligible domestic pecan producers and importers to decide whether to continue their research and promotion program.
Current producers that have domestically produced 50,000 pounds of in-shell pecans or 25,000 pounds of shelled pecans from October 1, 2022, through September 30, 2023, are eligible to vote in the referendum. Importers who have brought in 50,000 pounds of in-shell pecans or 25,000 pounds of shelled pecans during the same period can also vote in the referendum.
The order will continue if it is favored by the majority of domestic producers and importers voting in the referendum who have been engaged in the production or importing of pecans.
The USDA’s Agricultural Marketing Service will conduct the referendum by express mail and electronic ballot. AMS staff will express mail ballots and voting instructions to all known eligible pecan producers and importers during the voting period.
