The U.S. Department of Agriculture (USDA) announced today that it will conduct a referendum April 8-19, 2024, for eligible U.S. producers of peanuts to decide whether to continue their research and promotion program.
Persons who are engaged in the production and sale of peanuts at the time of the referendum and during the representative period of Jan. 1 - Dec. 31, 2022, are eligible to vote. The order will continue if it is favored by a majority of producers voting in the referendum.
USDA’s Agricultural Marketing Service (AMS) will conduct the referendum by regular mail, express mail and electronic ballot. AMS staff will mail ballots and voting instructions to all known eligible U.S. peanut producers before the voting period.
- Completed ballots delivered to AMS via regular mail must be postmarked by April 19, 2024, to be counted.
- Ballots delivered to AMS via express mail or electronic ballot must show proof of delivery no later than 11:59 p.m. ET April 19, 2024 to be counted.
Any eligible U.S. peanut producer who does not receive a ballot by April 13, 2024, should contact referendum agent Victoria M. Carpenter, Marketing Specialist, at (202) 400-1865 or (202) 720-8085, or by email at VictoriaM.Carpenter@usda.gov.
A notice of the referendum was published in the Federal Register Feb. 20, 2024. For more information about the Board, visit the National Peanut Board website.
AMS policy is that diversity of the board should reflect the diversity of its industries in terms of the experience of members, methods of production and distribution, marketing strategies, and other distinguishing factors that will bring different perspectives and ideas to the table. When submitting nominations, the industry must consider the diversity of the population served and the knowledge, skills, and abilities of the members to serve a diverse population.
Since 1966, Congress has authorized the development of industry-funded research and promotion boards to provide a framework for agricultural industries to pool their resources and combine efforts to develop new markets, strengthen existing markets and conduct important research and promotion activities. AMS provides oversight of 22 boards, paid for by industry assessments, which helps ensure fiscal accountability and program integrity.
USDA is an equal opportunity provider, employer, and lender