[Federal Register Volume 84, Number 52 (Monday, March 18, 2019)]
[Notices]
[Page 9743]
From the Federal Register Online via the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]
[FR Doc No: 2019-04925]
========================================================================
Notices
Federal Register
________________________________________________________________________
This section of the FEDERAL REGISTER contains documents other than rules
or proposed rules that are applicable to the public. Notices of hearings
and investigations, committee meetings, agency decisions and rulings,
delegations of authority, filing of petitions and applications and agency
statements of organization and functions are examples of documents
appearing in this section.
========================================================================
Federal Register / Vol. 84, No. 52 / Monday, March 18, 2019 /
Notices
[[Page 9743]]
DEPARTMENT OF AGRICULTURE
Agricultural Marketing Service
[Doc. No. AMS-LPS-18-0005]
Soybean Promotion, Research, and Information Program: Opportunity
To Request a Referendum
AGENCY: Agricultural Marketing Service, USDA.
ACTION: Notice.
-----------------------------------------------------------------------
SUMMARY: The Agricultural Marketing Service (AMS) announces that
soybean producers may request a referendum to determine if producers
want the Secretary to conduct a referendum on the Soybean Promotion and
Research Order (Order), as authorized under the Soybean Promotion,
Research, and Consumer Information Act (Act). Participation in the
Request for Referendum is voluntary. Producers should participate only
if they wish to request a referendum on the program.
If at least 10 percent (not in excess of one-fifth of which may be
producers in any one State) of the 515,008 eligible producers, as
determined by the U.S. Department of Agriculture (USDA), participate in
the Request for Referendum, a referendum will be held within 1 year
from that determination. If results of the Request for Referendum
indicate that a referendum is not supported, a referendum would not be
conducted. The results of the Request for Referendum will be published
in a Notice in the Federal Register.
DATES: Soybean producers may request a referendum during a 4-week
period beginning on May 6, 2019, and ending May 31, 2019.
To be eligible to participate in the Request for Referendum,
producers must certify that they or the producer entity they are
authorized to represent paid an assessment at any time between January
1, 2017, and December 31, 2018.
Form LS-51-1, Soybean Promotion and Research Order Request for
Referendum, may be obtained by mail, fax, or in person from the Farm
Service Agency (FSA) county offices from May 6, 2019, to May 31, 2019.
Form LS-51-1 may also be obtained via the internet at https://www.ams.usda.gov/rules-regulations/research-promotion/soybean during
the same time period. Completed forms and supporting documentation must
be returned to the appropriate county FSA office by fax or in person no
later than close of business May 31, 2019, or if returned by mail, must
be postmarked by midnight May 31, 2019, and received in the county FSA
office by close of business on June 6, 2019.
FOR FURTHER INFORMATION CONTACT: Kenneth R. Payne, Director, Research
and Promotion Division, Livestock and Poultry Program, AMS, USDA, Room
2610-S, STOP 0251, 1400 Independence Avenue SW, Washington, DC 20250-
0251; telephone (202) 720-1118; fax (202) 720-1125; or email to
[email protected]; or Rick Pinkston, Field Operations Staff, FSA,
USDA, at telephone (202) 720-1857; fax (202) 720-1096; or email at
[email protected].
SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION: In accordance with the Act (7 U.S.C. 6301-
6311), this Notice announces the dates when the Request for Referendum
will be conducted and the place where soybean producers may request a
referendum on the Order. The Act provides that the Secretary, 5 years
after the conduct of the initial referendum and every 5 years
thereafter, shall give soybean producers an opportunity to request a
referendum on the Order. The initial referendum was held in February
1994, and the results were announced on April 1, 1994. During the
initial referendum, 85,606 valid ballots were cast, with 46,060 (53.8
percent) in favor of continuing the Order and 39,546 votes (46.2
percent) against continuing the Order. The Act required approval by a
simple majority for the Order to continue.
The most recent opportunity for producers to request a referendum
on the Order was in May 2014. During that period, 324 producers
completed valid requests--short of the 56,999 required to trigger a
referendum. On July 10, 2014, USDA announced the results of the Request
for Referendum and that the requisite number of producers had not
requested that a referendum be conducted.
Eligibility
To be eligible to participate, soybean producers must certify that
they or the entity they are authorized to represent paid an assessment
under the Soybean Checkoff Program at sometime between January 1, 2017,
and December 31, 2018. They must complete and submit Form LS-51-1,
Soybean Promotion and Research Order Request for Referendum, in person,
by mail, or by fax between May 6, 2019, and May 31, 2019. Individual
producers and other producer entities would request a referendum at the
county FSA office where FSA maintains and processes the producer's,
corporation's, or other entity's administrative farm records. For the
producer, corporation, or other entity not participating in FSA
programs, the opportunity to request a referendum would be provided at
the county FSA office serving the county where the producer,
corporation, or other entity owns or rents land. Form LS-51-1 may also
be obtained via the internet at https://www.ams.usda.gov/rules-regulations/research-promotion/soybean. If obtained by the internet,
Form LS-51-1 must be completed and returned by mail, fax, or in person
with the supporting documentation to the county FSA office where FSA
maintains and process the producer's, corporation's, or other entity's
administrative farm records.
In accordance with the Paperwork Reduction Act of 1995 [44 U.S.C.
3501 et seq.], the information collection requirements made in
connection with the Request for Referendum have been approved by the
Office of Management and Budget (OMB) and assigned OMB control number
0581-0093.
Authority: 7 U.S.C. 6301-6311.
Dated: March 12, 2019.
Bruce Summers,
Administrator.
[FR Doc. 2019-04925 Filed 3-15-19; 8:45 am]
BILLING CODE 3410-02-P