The U.S. Department of Agriculture (USDA) today announced it will conduct a referendum, Oct. 30-Nov. 20, 2023, on proposed amendments to the federal marketing order for California almonds. Proposed changes were submitted by the Almond Board of California, which locally administers the federal marketing order.
Proposed Amendments:
- Modify the definitions of “Almonds” and “Shelled almonds” and add a definition for “almond biomass”
- Change the date utilized to determine the applicable handler volume for the purpose of tabulating handler votes in the nomination process for handler positions on the board.
- Replace obsolete references to “control board” with “board” in two sections.
- Simplify language pertaining to incoming quality control.
- Change the date that the board is required to submit volume regulation estimates and recommendations to the Secretary.
- Remove language that distinguishes certain funds in the accounting of the board’s operating reserve fund and set the reserve fund limit at approximately six-months’ expenses instead of six-months’ budget.
- Add authority to accept advanced assessments and to borrow funds from commercial lenders.
The proposed amendments would become effective if approved by two-thirds of the growers voting in the referendum or by those representing at least two-thirds of the volume of almonds grown by those voting in the referendum.
A notice of the referendum was published in the Federal Register on October 4, 2023.
USDA’s Agricultural Marketing Service (AMS) will mail ballots and voting instructions to all growers of record in California. To be eligible to vote, a grower must have produced almonds in California from Aug. 1, 2022-July 31, 2023.
Eligible growers who have not received a ballot by October 30, may request one by calling (559) 487–5901, faxing (559) 487-5906, or mailing the request to West Region Branch Office, Market Development Division, Specialty Crops Program, AMS, USDA, 2202 Monterey Street, Suite 102-B, Fresno, California 93721-3129.
More information about the marketing order is available on the AMS 981 California Almonds webpage.
Authorized by the Agricultural Marketing Agreement Act of 1937, marketing orders are industry-driven programs that help producers and handlers achieve marketing success by leveraging their own funds to design and execute programs that they would not be able to do individually. AMS provides oversight to fruit vegetable and specialty crops marketing orders to ensure fiscal accountability and program integrity.
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