FV-304-B 917-Peaches & Pears Official Producers Referendum

ReDrocfuce locallv 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. 917, as Amended,
Regulating the Handling of Peaches and Pears 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.

VOTING PERIOD: XXXX through XX, 20XX.

B.

PERSONS ELIGIBLE TO VOTE: Any producer who is cUITentlya producer of peaches and/or pears in
Californiaand was also a producer during the 20XX season is entitled to cast one vote. If you were not a

producerof peaches and/orpears duringthe 20XX season and are not cUITentlya 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 peaches and/or pears grown thereon; (2) rents and farms
land, resulting in ownership of all or a portion of the peaches and/or pears grown thereon; or (3) owns land
from which, as rental for such land, ownership is obtained of a portion of peaches andlor pears 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 Peaches and Pear 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. Incomolete 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 OMB control number. The valid OMB control number for this information collection is 0581-0189. The time
requirt~d to complete this information collection 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 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 with 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 complaint 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 (JDD). USDA is an equal opportunity provider and employer.

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

OMS No. 0581-0189

Reoroduce locaOv bv 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 MarketingOrder No. 917, Regulating the
Handling of Peaches and Pears Grown in California
Part I. This referendum is being held to determine producer support for the Federal Marketing Order regulating peaches and
pears grown in California. The Secretary of Agriculture will consider termination of the marketing order if less than two-thirds
of those voting and less than two-thirds of the volume represented in the referendum favor continuance.
Please read the enclosed voting instructions and eligibility requirements before completing this ballot. Indicateyour vote by
placina an "X" in the appropriate block:

o
o

YES, I FAVOR CONTINUANCE OF THE FEDERAL MARKETING ORDER FOR PEACHES AND PEARS
NO, I DO NOT FAVOR CONTINUANCE OF THE FEDERAL MARKETING ORDER FOR PEACHES AND PEARS

PART II. VOTER INFORMATION:
A.

Producer's Name:

B.

Complete Mailing Address:

(Please Print)

Telephone No: (
C.

)

Voter Eligibility:

1.

During the period XXXXX through XXXXXX, I produced

containers of fresh peaches
(No. of 25-p0und equivalents)

, in

and/or pears on
(Number of acres)

2.

(County or Counties)

During the 20XX season, the following firm(s) sold my peaches and/or pears 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 peaches and/or pears, 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 administratorof a
producing estate; or _other
business unit, ICERTIFYthat I havethe authority to 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 nameof 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 determine 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-B

(05107 - Destroy previous

editions)

XXXX X, 20XX
To Producers of Peaches and Pears:
The Secretary of Agriculture (Secretary) is conducting a referendum to determine
producer support for the Federal Marketing Order regulating peaches and pears 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 XXXXXXX X 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 aaent)
or Kurt J. Kimmel at (559) 487-5901.
Sincerely,

Kurt J. Kimmel, Referendum Agent
California Marketing Field Office
Please

, Referendum Agent
California Marketing Field Office

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