FV-304-A 916-Nectarines Official Producers Referendum Ballot

Reoroduce locaHv bv USDA. Include the form number and edition date on each form.

OMS No. 0581-0189

UNITED STATES DEPARTMENT OF AGRICULTURE
AGRICULTURAL MARKETING SERVICE

OFFICIAL PRODUCER'S REFERENDUM BALLOT
On Continuation of the Marketing Order No. 916, as Amended,
Regulating the Handling of Nectarines Grown in California
INSTRUCTIONS: Please read the enclosed eligibility and voting instructions. Then complete this ballot, including the Voter
Eligibilityand Certification section. Return your ballot in the envelope provided. Your ballot must be signed and postmarked on
or before XXXXXX XX, 20XX.

ELIGIBILITY AND VOTING INSTRUCTIONS
A.
B.

VOTING PERIOD: XXX)( through XX, 20XX.
PERSONS ELIGIBLE TO VOTE:

Any producer who is currentlya producer of nectarines in Californiaand

was also a producer during the 20XX season is entitled to cast one vote. If you were not a producer of

nectarines during the 20XX season and are not currently a producer, you are not eligible to vote in this
referendum.

"Producer" means any individual, partnership, corporation, association, or other business unit who: (1) owns
and farms land, resulting in ownership of the nectarines grown thereon; (2) rents and farms land, resulting
in ownership of all or a portion of the nectarines grown thereon; or (3) owns land from which, as rental for
such land, ownership is obtained of a portion of nectarines grown thereon. Each producer is entitled to cast
only one vote. If you are member of a cooperative association and know the cooperative is planning to vote
its members' volume in the referendum, do not cast a ballot.
If you need another ballot, contact
at the California Marketing Field Office at
(559) 487-5901 (you may call collect) or your county Cooperative Extension office.
C.

HOW TO VOTE:

1.

Indicate whether you favor continuance or termination of the Nectarine Marketing Order by placing an "X" in
the appropriate block.

2.

Provide the voter information requested in Part II. This information is required to ascertain your eligibility to
vote and will be held in confidence. Incomplete ballots may not be counted.

3.

Sign the certification statement in Part III. Unsianed ballots will not be counted. Proxy voting is not
authorized.

4.

Return your ballot in the self-addressed envelope enclosed. No postage is necessary.

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 collection of
information unless it displays a valid OAfB control number. The valid OAfB control number for this information collection is 0581-0189. The time
required to complete this information collection is estimated to average 20 minutes per response, including die time for reviewing instructions, searching
existing data sources, gathering and maintaining the data needed, and completing and reviewing the collection of information.
The u.s. Department of Agriculture (USDA) prohibits discrimination in all its programs and activities on the basis of race, color, national origin, age,
disability, and where applicable, sex, marital status, familial status, parental status, religion. sexual orientation, genetic information, political beliefs,
reprisal, or because all or part of an individual's income is derived from any public assistance program (Not all prohibited bases apply to all programs.)
Persons widl disabilities who require alternative means for communication of program information (Braille, large print, audiotape, etc.) should contact
USDA 's TARGET Center at (202) 720-2600 (voice and TDD). To file a complainl of discrimination, write to USDA, Director, Office of Civil Rights, 1400
Independence Avenue, S. w., Washington, D.C. 20250-9410, or call (800) 795-3272 (voice) or (202) 720-6382 (TDD). USDA is an equal opportunity
provider and employer.

FV-304-A (05107- Destroy previous editions)

OMS No. 0581-0189

Reoroduce locaUvbv USDA. Include the form number and edition date on each form.

UNITED STATES DEPARTMENT OF AGRICULTURE
AGRICULTURAL MARKETING SERVICE

OFFICIAL PRODUCER'S REFERENDUM BALLOT
On Continuation of the Marketing Order No. 916, Regulating the
Handling of Nectarines Grown in California
Part I. This referendum is being held to determine producer support for the Federal MarketingOrder regulating nectarines
grown in California. The Secretary of Agriculturewillconsider termination of the marketing order ifless than two-thirdsof those
voting and less than two-thirdsofthe volume represented inthe referendum favor continuance.
Please read the enclosed votinginstructionsand eligibilityrequirements before completing this ballot. Indicateyour vote by
placina an "X"inthe appropriate block:

o
o

YES, I FAVOR CONTINUANCE OF THE FEDERAL MARKETINGORDER FOR NECTARINES
NO, I DO NOT FAVOR CONTINUANCE OF THE FEDERAL MARKETINGORDER FOR NECTARINES

PART II. VOTER INFORMATION:

A.

Producer's Name:

B.

Complete Mailing Address:

(Please Print)

Telephone No: (
C.
1.

)

Voter Eligibility:
(No.of 25-p0und equivalents)

on

, in
(Number of acres)

2.

containers of fresh nectarines

During the period XXXXX through XXXXXX, I produced

(County or Counties)

During the 20XX season, the following firm(s) sold my nectarines for the fresh market (if sold by self, please indicate
so):

(Name of Handler(s»

PART III. VOTER CERTIFICATION:
I hereby CERTIFY that I am currently a producer of fresh nectarines,that I was a producer during the 20XX season, and that the
information I provided on this ballot is accurate and correct to the best of my knowledge. If this ballot is being cast on behalf of a
(check the appropriate space) -partnership;
_corporation; _association; _trustee,
executor or administrator of a
producing estate; or _other
business unit, ICERTIFYthat I have the authorityto cast this ballot and will submit evidence of such
authority at the request of an agent of the Secretary of Agriculture.

(Your Title)

(Signature)
(If a Partnership, provide name of partner(s»

Your signature certifies to the Secretary of Agriculture that you have authority to take such action and that you will submit evidence of
such authority at the request of a Referendum Agent of the Secretary. This information is required to detennine voter eligibility and vote
of producers in the referendum. 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 years or both. (18 U.S.C. 1001).

Ballots postmarked after January 31, 20XX will not be counted in the referendum.
FV-304-A (05107-

Destroy

previous edifjons)

XXX)( X, 20XX

To Producers of Nectarines:
The Secretary of Agriculture (Secretary) is conducting a referendum to determine
producer support for the Federal Marketing Order regulating nectarines grown in
California. Enclosed is a red ballot upon which you may indicate whether or not you favor
continuance of the marketing order.
Enclosed are eligibility and voting instructions, which we urge you to read thoroughly
before completing the ballot. It is important that you: (1) place an "X" in the space
provided to vote on whether or not to continue the marketing order, and (2) sign the
ballot. Ballots without a vote or a signature will not be counted.
The voting period is XXXXXXXX through XX, 20XX. Please vote promptly; ballots
postmarked XXXXXXXXX, 20XX, will not be counted.
If you have any questions about the ballot or the instructions, please call
(referendum acent)
or Kurt J. Kimmel at (559) 487-5901.
Sincerely,

Kurt J. Kimmel, Referendum Agent
California Marketing Field Office

, Referendum Agent
California Marketing Field Office

Please return the entire ballot. Do not tear the ballot apart before mailing.
Your ballot will be held in confidence.