SC-236A CA Olive Producer Referendum Dist.1 Voting Ballot

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

CALIFORNIA OLIVE COMMITTEE

770 E. SHAW AVENUE, SUITE 310

FRESNO, CA 93710

TEL: 559-456-9096; FAX: 559-456-9099

REMINDER

If you have MORE THAN ONE producing entity under EXACTLY the same name in a district, you may call the California Olive Committee at (559) 456-9096 to request additional Ballots for that district.

If you have producing entities in MORE THAN ONE district and have received more than one Ballot, you MUST CHOOSE THE ONE DISTRICT IN WHICH YOU WILL VOTE.

(See paragraph 1 in the enclosed letter).

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 15 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.

CALIFORNIA OLIVE COMMITTEE

770 E. SHAW AVENUE, SUITE 310

FRESNO, CA 93710

TEL: 559-456-9096; FAX: 559-456-9099

March ___, 20__

IMPORTANT: DISTRICT 1- VOTING BALLOT ENCLOSED

PLEASE READ ALL INSTRUCTIONS PRIOR TO COMPLETING THE BALLOT.

ALSO NOTE-- THE CANDIDATES HAVE BEEN PLACED IN ALPHABETICAL ORDER, TO NOT SHOW PARTIALITY.

Dear Olive Producer:

Attached is a Ballot for you to use in voting for producer (grower) representation on the California Olive Committee (COC). The candidates listed were nominated at meetings held in each producing district earlier this year.

In accordance with section 932.129 of Marketing Order No. 932, the following procedures are in order:

1. A producer who produces olives in more than one district must choose the district in which the producer will vote and notify the COC of that choice. If the COC is not notified and more than one Ballot is received from such a producer, the first Ballot received will be counted. Candidates may only vote in the district in which they are seeking nomination.

2. Each Ballot will list separately the names of candidates for the member and alternate member positions for said district.

3. A Ballot will be mailed to producers of record to give them an opportunity to vote. COC records will be used to determine the list of producers eligible to cast Ballots; however, any producer who is not identified in such records may receive a Ballot if the COC determines that such producer is eligible to participate in nominations in that district.

4. A producer may cast a vote for as many candidates as there are members or alternate positions in said district.

5. The candidate on each list who receives the most votes will be the nominee for the first position, and until all positions for that district are filled, the candidates receiving the second, third and fourth highest number of votes will be the nominees for the second, third and fourth position, respectively.

6. In the event of a tie, which would result in elimination of a tied candidate, a second Ballot with the names of those tied candidates will be mailed to producers in said district for another vote.

7. A producer is a person engaged in a proprietary capacity as a single business unit in the production of olives for market as packaged olives and includes an individual (owner-operated) partnership, corporation, association, institution, or other legal business unit.

8. Only producers (including duly authorized officers or employees of producers) who produced olives within the district shall participate in the nomination and election of producer members and alternates.

9. Each producer shall be entitled to cast only one vote for each position.

10. Any member of a producer’s family (husband, wife, son or daughter) may vote on behalf of an owner-operated, landlord-tenant, family enterprise, or other farming unit.

11. Any authorized officer or employee of a corporation that is a producer may vote.

12. Any authorized member of a partnership that is a producer may vote.

13. Power of attorney (proxy) for voting purposes is not accepted.

PLEASE RETURN YOUR BALLOT IN THE ENCLOSED ENVELOPE. THE RETURN ENVELOPE MUST BE SIGNED IN UPPER LEFT HAND CORNER. Ballots received without a signature on the envelope will be invalid.

BALLOTS MUST BE POSTMARKED NO LATER THAN TUESDAY, MARCH __, 20___

TO BE VALID.

If a tie exists, a second Ballot will be mailed on April __, 20___.

CALIFORNIA OLIVE COMMITTEE

_____________________________________________

Executive Director

In accordance with Federal civil rights law and U.S. Department of Agriculture (USDA) civil rights regulations and policies, the USDA, its Agencies, offices, and employees, and institutions participating in or administering USDA programs are prohibited from discriminating based on race, color, national origin, religion, sex, gender identity (including gender expression), sexual orientation, disability, age, marital status, family/parental status, income derived from a public assistance program, political beliefs, or reprisal or retaliation for prior civil rights activity, in any program or activity conducted or funded by USDA (not all bases apply to all programs). Remedies and complaint filing deadlines vary by program or incident.

Persons with disabilities who require alternative means of communication for program information (e.g., Braille, large print, audiotape, American Sign Language, etc.) should contact the responsible Agency or USDA’s TARGET Center at (202) 720-2600 (voice and TTY) or contact USDA through the Federal Relay Service at (800) 877-8339. Additionally, program information may be made available in languages other than English.

To file a program discrimination complaint, complete the USDA Program Discrimination Complaint Form, AD-3027, found online at http://www.ascr.usda.gov/complaint_filing_cust.html and at any USDA office or write a letter addressed to USDA and provide in the letter all of the information requested in the form. To request a copy of the complaint form, call (866) 632-9992. Submit your completed form or letter to USDA by: (1) mail: U.S. Department of Agriculture Office of the Assistant Secretary for Civil Rights 1400 Independence Avenue, SW Washington, D.C. 20250-9410; (2) fax: (202) 690-7442; or (3) email: [email protected]. USDA is an equal opportunity provider, employer, and lender.

SC-236A (Rev. 01/2017) Destroy previous versions.