The U.S. Department of Agriculture (USDA) announced today that it will conduct a referendum Oct. 6-20, 2023, for eligible domestic manufacturers and importers of paper and paper-based packaging to decide whether to continue their research and promotion program.
Persons who are currently domestic manufacturers and have domestically manufactured 100,000 short tons or more of paper and paper-based packaging, and persons who are currently importers and have imported 100,000 short tons or more of paper and paper-based packaging, during the representative period Jan. 1 through Dec. 31, 2022, are eligible to vote in the referendum.
The order will continue if it is favored by a majority of domestic manufacturers and importers voting in the referendum who also represent a majority of the volume of paper and paper-based packaging represented in the referendum and who, during the representative period, have been engaged in the manufacturing or importation of paper and paper-based packaging.
USDA’s Agricultural Marketing Service (AMS) will conduct the referendum by express mail and electronic ballot. AMS staff will express mail ballots and voting instructions to all known eligible domestic manufacturers and importers of paper and paper-based packaging before the voting period. Completed ballots must be delivered to AMS via express mail or electronic means no later than 11:59 p.m. ET on Oct. 20, 2023. Any eligible domestic manufacturer or importer who does not receive a ballot by Oct. 10, 2023, should contact referendum agent Marlene Betts, Marketing Specialist, at (202) 494-6633 or at (202) 720-8085, or by email at Marlene.Betts@usda.gov.
The Federal Register Notice was published in the Federal Register on July 26, 2023. For more information about the board, visit the Paper and Packaging 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