Fv-160 905-Citrus Grown in FL Official producer Referendum Ball

UNITED STATES DEPARTMENT OF AGRICULTURE
AGRICULTURAL MARKETING SERVICE
FRUIT AND VEGETABLE PROGRAMS
SOUTHEAST MARKETING FIELD OFFICE
799 OVERLOOK DRIVE, SUITE A
WINTER HAYEN, FLORIDA 33884
January 3, 20XX
TO: PRODUCERS OF FLORIDA CITRUS FOR THE FRESH MARKET
Enclosed is a voter ballot for the continuance of Marketing Order No. 905 (order) regulating the handling of
Oranges, Grapefruit, Tangerines, and Tangelos Grown in Florida. The order requires that producers within the
regulated production area be petitioned to determine the level of support for the marketing order. As a
consequence, an order directing that a referendum be held was published in the Federal Register on December
30, 20XX. A referendum has been scheduled during the period January 14 through February 15, 20XX, to
determine whether citrus producers favor the continuance of the order.
To meet referendum requirements, the order must be favored by at least two-thirds of the eligibleproducers
voting in the referendum or by producers representing at least two-thirds of the eligiblevolume voted in the
referendum. This ballot gives an eligiblegrower the opportunity to vote in favor of or against maintainingthe
marketing order.
A Producer Referendum Ballot is attached. Also attached are:
1)
2)
3)
4)

Rules Governing Producer Eligibilityto Vote and Voting Instructions;
News Release concerning the referendum;
Copy of the December 30, 20XX, Referendum Order; and
A preaddressed envelope for returning the ballot.

Again, the referendum voting period is January 14 through February 15, 20XX. Please complete and return your
ballots promptly. All ballots must be postmarked no later than Februarv 15. 20XX. or they will not be
counted. If you have any questions, please call (863) 324-3375.
Sincerely,

Christian D. Nissen
Referendum Agent

REPRODUCELOCALLY.Include form number and date on all reDroductlons.

OMB No. 0581-0189

UNITED STATIS DEPARTMENTOF AGRICULTURE
AGRICULTURAL MARKETING SERVICE
FRUIT AND VEGETABLE PROGRAMS

ORMIGES,

OFFICIAL FRODUCER BALLOT
GRAPEFRUIT, TAriGERINES ArID TAriGELOS
MARKETING ORDER NO. 905

GROWN IN FWRlDA

This baUot will be held in strict confidence. Be sure Parts ll, m and IV of your baUot are completed. Unsigned baUots, or baUots
that cannot be validated because Parts ll, m and IV are incomplete, will not be counted.

-

PART I REFERENDUM INSTRUCTIONS
A.

REFERENDUM PERIOD:

January

14, 20XX through February 15, 20xx, is the referendum period during which

producers may vote on this marketing order.
This referendum is being held to determine producer support for the federal marketing order regulating the handling of citrus
grown in Florida. USDA will consider termination of this order if less than two-thirds of those voting and less than two-thirds of
the volume represented in the referendum favor continuance.
B.

ELIGIBILITY

REQUIREMENTS:

Any person who produced Florida citrus for the fresh market during the period of August

1, 20XX through July 31, 20XX, and who is also now a producer, is eligible to vote. Such persons may vote on the continuance
of the Marketing Order using the attached ballot.
1.

A producer (or grower) is defined as: (a) any person who produced oranges, grapefruit, tangerines, and tangelos grown
in Florida for the fresh market in the designated production area; (b) a renter or tenant of acreage producing oranges,
grapefruit, tangerines, and tangelos grown in Florida for the fresh market; or (c) a landlord who received &om a renter or
tenant oranges, grapefruit, tangerines, and tangelos grown in Florida as rent for the land on which such Florida citrus
was grown for the fresh market. A cash landlord, lienholder, or person having only a financial interest in the crop is not
an eligible voter.

2.

A business unit, partnership, family enterprise, corporation, association, estate, or firm may vote. Each such entity is
entitled to one vote.

3.

C.

Proxy voting is not authorized.

INSTRUCTIONS FOR VOTING: Provide the voter informationrequested in Part II. In Part III, mark the block for or against
the Marketing Order. CertifYyour vote by signing the appropriate section of Part IV.

If you do not complete Parts II,

ill, and IV, your ballot cannot be validated, and your vote will not be counted.

Please remove the page containing Parts II, III, and IV, and return in the envelope
provided.

FV-160 (05/07) (Destroy previous editions)

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REPRODUCE

LOCALLY.

OMB No. 0581-0189

Include (onn number and date on all revroductions.

PART II - VOTER INFORMATION
This infonnation will be held in strict confidence.

A.

Your name
(please print clearly)

B.

What is the specific location of your Orange, Grapefiuit, Tangerine, and Tangelo acreage represented in this ballot?

(Highway or street address, if applicable, and cmmty)

(City; State, and ZIP Code)

C.

Do you reside on the above property which produces the Oranges, Grapefiuit, Tangerines, and Tangelos?
( ) Yes ( ) No If no, please provide your residence address and telephone number:
(Street and No. or RF.D. No., City, State, and ZIP Code)
(Telephone number (Area Code))

D.

If you are not voting as an individual producer, please check the appropriate box indicating your voting status and write the name
and address of the business unit you represent
(

) Partnership

(

) Corporation

(

) Other (Specify)

(Name and address of business unit)

E.

What is the number of 1-3/5 bushel boxes or equivalent of Oranges, Grapefiuit, Tangerines, and Tangelos, you produced for the
fi:eshmarket during the period August 1, 20XX through July 31, 20XX?
Boxes of Tangerines.

Boxes of Oranges.

Boxes of Tangelos.

Boxes of Grapefiuit.

F.

What is the number of acres of Oranges, Grapefiuit, Tangerines, and Tangelos you harvested during the period August 1, 20XX
through July 31, 20XX?
Oranges
Grapefiuit

G.

acres.

Tangerines

acres.

Tangelos

acres.
acres.

Which packinghouse(s)handled your Oranges, Grapefiuit, Tangerines, and Tangelos during the representative period?
(Name and address ofpackinghouse(s))

COMPLETE BOTH SIDES OF FORM
FV-160 (05/07)

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OMB No. 0581-0189

REPRODUCE LOCALLY. Include Conn number and date on aDreproductions.

PARTm -REFERENDUM QUESTIONS
"YES" vote means you favor continuance of the Marketing Order for Oranges, Grapefruit, Tangerines, and Tangelos Grown in Florida.
"NO" vote means you do not favor continuance of the Marketing Order for Oranges, Grapefruit, Tangerines, and Tangelos Grown in
Florida.

Do you favor the continuance of the Marketing Order for Oranges, Grapefruit,
Tangerines, and Tangelos, Grown in Florida?
( ) YES ( ) NO

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PART IV VOTER CERTIFICATION
All information provided in this ballot will be subject to verification by officials of the U.S. Department of Agriculture.
The information on this ballot is required to determine voter eligibility and vote of Florida citrus producers. Falsification of information on
this government document may result in a fine of not more than $10,000 or imprisonment for not more than five (5) years, or both (18 S.C.
1001).

A.

Your signature, if signing as an individual.
I am the producer named in Part n of this ballot, and I certifY that I am not a cash landlord, lienholder, or person having only a
financial interest in the crop, and that the information provided on this ballot and any attachment hereto is accurate and correct to
the best of my knowledge.

(lJiite)

(SIgnature)

B.

If signing as the representative of a producing entity other than an individual,designate your title and sign below.
I am the representative named in Part II D of this ballot A partner casting the ballot for a partnership; or an officer or employee
casting the ballot for a cooperative association, corporation, school, institution, or similar business unit; or the administrator,
executor, or trustee casting the ballot for a producing estate; and, by signing this ballot, I agree to provide evidence thereof at the
request of an authorized agent of the Secretary of Agriculture.

(SIgnature and tItle)

UJiite)

BALLOTS POSTMARKED AFTER February 15, 20XX WILL NOT BE COUNTED IN THE REFERENDUM.
The following statements are made in accordance with the Pt1vacy Act of 1974 (U.S.C. 552a) and the Paperwork Reduction Act of 1995. The authority for
requesting this information to be suppled on this form is the Agricultural Marketing Agreement Act of 1937, Sections 1-19, 48 Stat. 31, as amended, (7
U.S. C. 601-674). Furnishing the requested information is necessary for the administration of the marketing order program.

NOTE: According to the Paperwork Reduction Act of 1995, an agency may not conduct or sponsor, and a person is not required to respond to a coDection
of information unless it displays a valid OMS control number. The valid OMS control number for this information coDection is 0581-0189.
The time required to complete this information coDection is estimated to average 20 minutes per response, including the time for reviewing instructions,
searching existing data sources, gathering and maintaining the data needed, and completing and reviewing the c08ection of information.
The U.S. Department of Agriculture (USDA) prohibits cfscrimination in af its programs and activities on the basis of race, color, national origin, age, disabifity,
and where applicable, sex, marital status, familial status, parental status, re5gion, sexual orientation, genetic information, po5tical beliefs, reprisal, or because
aI or part of an individual's income is det1ved from any pub5c assistance program (Not aI prohibited bases apply to al/ programs.) Persons with disabilities
who require alternative means for communication of program information (BralIe, large print, audiotape, etc.) should contact USDA 's TARGET Center at
(202) 720-2600 (voice and TOO).
To file a comp/aintofdscrimination,
write to USDA, Director, Office ofCivi Rights, 1400 Independence Avenue, S.W., Washington, D.C. 20250-9410, oreal
(800) 795-3272 (voice) or (202) 720-6382 (TOO). USDA is an equal opportunity provkJer and employer.

FV-160 (05107)

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