FV-94A So. TX Onions Producer Referendum Ballot

REPRODUCE LOCALLY. Include form number and date on all reproductions. OMB No. 0581-0178

U.S. DEPARTMENT OF AGRICULTURE

AGRICULTURAL MARKETING SERVICE

FRUIT AND VEGETABLE PROGRAMS

PRODUCER REFERENDUM BALLOT

Marketing Order No. 959: Onions Grown in South Texas

VOTING INSTRUCTIONS

1. COMPLETE PARTS I, II, AND III. Incomplete or unsigned Ballots cannot be counted. Ballots must be postmarked by __________________, 20___.

2. ELIGIBLE VOTERS: Any person who produced onions for fresh market during the period _______________, 20___, through ________________, 20___, and who is now a producer, is eligible to vote.

1. A producer (or grower) is defined as:

(a) anyone who produces onions for fresh market in the counties of Val Verde, Kinney, Uvalde, Medina, Wilson, Karnes, Goliad, Victoria, Calhoun, Maverick, Zavala, Frio, Atascosa, Dimmit, La Salle, McMullen, Live Oak, Bee, Refugio, Webb, Duval, Jim Wells, San Patricio, Nueces, Zapata, Jim Hogg, Brooks, Kleberg, Kenedy, Starr, DeWitt, Aransas, Hidalgo, Willacy and Cameron;

(b) a renter or tenant of acreage producing onions for fresh market; or

(c) a landlord who received from a renter or tenant such onions as rent for the land on which such onions were grown. 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; however, each such entity is entitled to one vote.

3. Proxy voting is not authorized.

3. HOW TO VOTE:

   1. Certify your eligibility by completing all information requested in Part I.

2. In Part II, indicate your preference on each issue by marking the appropriate box.

3. Certify your preferences by signing the appropriate section of Part III.

4. Return Parts I, II, and III in the self-addressed envelope provided. No postage is necessary.

PRODUCER REFERENDUM BALLOT

On Proposed Amendments to Marketing Order No. 959,

Regulating the Handling of Onions Grown in South Texas

BALLOTS POSTMARKED AFTER _________________, 20___, WILL NOT BE COUNTED IN THE REFERENDUM.

PART I. VOTER INFORMATION:

1. NAME (Please print) ____________________________________________________________________

2. SPECIFIC LOCATION OF ONION ACREAGE REPRESENTED IN THIS BALLOT:________________

______________________________________________________________________________________

3. DO YOU RESIDE ON THE PROPERTY ON WHICH THE ONIONS ARE PRODUCED? □YES □NO

IF NO, PLEASE GIVE YOUR RESIDENTIAL ADDRESS: _____________________________

_______________________________________________________________________________

4. PHONE NUMBER: ____________________________ FAX NUMBER: _____________________

5. IF NOT VOTING AS AN INDIVIDUAL PRODUCER, PLEASE MARK AN “X” IN THE APPROPRIATE BOX BELOW AND WRITE THE NAME AND ADDRESS OF THE BUSINESS UNIT YOU REPRESENT.

 PARTNERSHIP  CORPORATION  OTHER (Please specify) ____________________

6. HOW MANY 50-POUND EQUIVALENTS OF ONIONS DID YOU PRODUCE DURING THE PERIOD _______________, 20___, THROUGH ______________, 20 ___? ___________ 50-lb. equivalents

7. HOW MANY ACRES OF ONIONS DID YOU HARVEST FOR FRESH MARKET DURING THE PERIOD _______________, 20___, THROUGH ______________, 20____? _____________ Acres

8. WHICH PACKINGHOUSE(S) HANDLED YOUR ONIONS DURING THIS PERIOD?

______________________________________________________________________________________

______________________________________________________________________________________

PART II. AMENDMENT QUESTIONS:

Yes No

1 . Do you favor adding authority to the Order to establish supplemental rates of assessment on specified containers of onions? (§ 959.42)

2 . Do you favor adding authority to the Order to collect interest and late payment charges on unpaid handler assessments for onions? (§ 959.42)

3 . Do you favor adding authority to the Order for marketing promotion, including paid advertising?

(§ 959.48)

4 . Do you favor limiting the number of consecutive terms a person may serve on the South Texas Onion Committee? (§ 959.23)

5. Do you favor requiring that continuance referenda be conducted every six years to ascertain industry support for the Order? (§ 959.84)

PART III. CERTIFICATION STATEMENT:

1. If signing as an individual:

I am the producer named in Part I 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.

______________________________________________________________________________________

SIGNATURE OF PRODUCER OR AUTHORIZED PERSON

2. If signing as the representative of a producing entity other than an individual, designate your title and sign below:

I certify that I have authority to cast this Ballot and will submit evidence of such authority at the request of an agent of the Secretary of Agriculture.

_________________________________________________ ____________________________

SIGNATURE TITLE

Falsification of information on this government document may result in a fine or imprisonment, or both (18 U.S.C. 1001).

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 0581-0178. The time required 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 (TDD). USDA is an equal opportunity provider and employer.

FV-94A (Rev. 10/2010. Destroy previous editions.) Page 3 of 3