FV-167 Producer Referendum (CA Dried Prunes)

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

UNITED STATES DEPARTMENT OF AGRICULTURE

AGRICULTURAL MARKETING SERVICE

FRUIT AND VEGETABLE PROGRAM

PRODUCER REFERENDUM BALLOT

ON PROPOSED AMENDMENT OF THE MARKETING ORDER, AS AMENDED,

REGULATING THE HANDLING OF DRIED PRUNES PRODUCED IN CALIFORNIA

This Ballot will be held confidential. Please read the cover letter and the attached voter eligibility and voting instructions before completing this Ballot. Your Ballot envelope must be postmarked no later than _______________, 20___.

1. I hereby certify that I am, or the producer’s name I have inserted in Item 3 below is, now an eligible producer in California of prune plums used in the production of dried prunes for market. I have produced for market during the period August 1, 20___, through July 31, 20___, following quantity of dried prunes: __________ dried tons. (NOTE: if you are renting on a share crop basis, report only that part of the tonnage representing your share.)

2. Do you favor issuance of the proposed amendment? (Please place an “X” in the appropriate space)

Yes □ No □

3. ______________________________________________________________________________

(Producer’s Signature – or name if Item 4 is applicable)

Mailing Address: ______________________________________________________________________

Street City State Zip Code

4. If this Ballot is cast on behalf of a partnership or by an officer or employee of a producer (corporation, institution, school, or college), or by an administrator, executor, or trustee of a producing estate, the following must also be completed:

I hereby certify to the Secretary of Agriculture that I have the authority to cast this Ballot for the producer named above in Item 3 and that I will submit evidence of such authority at the request of an Agent of the Secretary.

Signature: ________________________________ Title or Capacity: ________________________

Mailing Address: ______________________________________________________________________

Street City State Zip Code

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 of 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, political beliefs, genetic information, 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 USDA, Director, Office of Civil Rights, Room 326-W, Whitten Building, 1400 Independence Avenue, SW, Washington, DC 20250-9410 or call (202) 720-5964 (voice and TDD). USDA is an equal opportunity provider and employer.

UNITED STATES DEPARTMENT OF AGRICULTURE

AGRICULTURAL MARKETING SERVICE

FRUIT AND VEGETABLE PROGRAM

VOTER ELIGIBILITY AND VOTING INSTRUCTIONS

1. REFERENDUM PERIOD: ____________________, 20___ - _____________________, 20___

2. ELIGIBILITY TO VOTE

1. Producer means: (a) a person who owns and farms land producing prune plums used in the production of dried prunes for market; (b) a renter or tenant of a farm producing prune plums used in the production of dried prunes; (c) a landlord who received from a renter or tenant a portion of the production as rent for the land on which the prune plums were produced for market. (NOTE: A landlord who rents for cash, a lien-holder or a person having only a financial interest in the crop is ineligible to vote.)

2. A person buying prune plums either on the tree or after they have been harvested is not a producer of such prune plums and therefore is not eligible to vote.

3. A business unit (partnership, family enterprise, corporation, association, estate, firm) may cast only one vote, but each separate unit is entitled to vote.

4. Any producer who is now engaged in producing prune plums in California for drying or dehydrating into dried prunes for market and was so engaged during the representative period of August 1, 20___, through July 31, 20___, is eligible to vote in this referendum. A producer who had no production during the representative period is not eligible to vote.

3. INSTRUCTIONS FOR VOTING – YOUR BALLOT MUST CONTAIN:

1. The tonnage of dried prunes which was produced for market by you (or by the producer for whom this Ballot is cast) during the period August 1, 20xx, through July 31, 20___.

2. Your vote: place an “X” by either “Yes” or “No”.

3. Your signature and mailing address in Item 3 if you are casting your Ballot in your own behalf as an individual owner.

UNITED STATES DEPARTMENT OF AGRICULTURE

AGRICULTURAL MARKETING SERVICE

FRUIT AND VEGETABLE PROGRAM

SUMMARY OF AMENDMENT

1. __________________________________________________________

2. __________________________________________________________

3. __________________________________________________________

4. __________________________________________________________

5. __________________________________________________________

U.S. DEPARTMENT OF AGRICULTURE

Agricultural Marketing Service

Fruit and Vegetable Program

California Marketing Field Office

2202 Monterey Street, Suite 102-B

Fresno, CA 93721

OFFICIAL BUSINESS

IMPORTANT: YOUR REFERENDUM BALLOT TO VOTE ON PROPOSED AMENDMENT OF MARKETING ORDER No. 993 FOR DRIED PRUNES

To: The Dried Prune Producer Addressed

The Secretary of Agriculture has announced the decision to submit for industry approval a proposed amendment of the marketing agreement, as amended, and Marketing Order No. 993, as amended, regulating the handling of dried prunes produced in California. The referendum is being held during the period of __________, 20___, through ___________, 20___, to determine whether producers of dried prunes favor or disfavor issuance by the Secretary of Agriculture of the proposed amended marketing order.

The proposed amendment will not be made effective unless its issuance is favored by at least two-thirds of the eligible producers voting in the referendum or by producers representing at least two-thirds of the volume of dried prunes voted in the referendum.

Proposed changes in the marketing order were submitted by the Prune Marketing Committee (Committee) to the Secretary of Agriculture, and a public hearing on the proposals was held in _____________, 20___.

On the reverse side of this page is the REFERENDUM BALLOT for your use in indicating whether you favor or disfavor issuance of the proposed amendment. Also enclosed are the following: (1) Rules governing producer eligibility to vote and voting instructions; (2) Summary and copy of the proposed amendment; and (3) Envelope for returning Ballot – no postage required.

Please read the rules governing producer eligibility to vote and the voting instructions before filling out the Ballot. Be sure your Ballot is complete. BALLOTS, THAT DO NOT SHOW YOUR TONNAGE OR DRIED PRUNES PRODUCED FOR MARKET, YOUR VOTE, AND YOUR SIGNATURE, CANNOT BE COUNTED. Please vote promptly; to be counted, Ballot envelopes must be postmarked not later than midnight, _________________, 20___.

Sincerely,

_________________________________________

Referendum Agent

FV-167 (Rev. 01/2014. Destroy previous editions.)