Irish Potato Referendum in Washington

WASHINGTON - Feb 11/05 - SNS -- The USDA will hold a referendum on proposed amendments to Marketing Order 946, regulating the handling of Irish potatoes grown in Washington State.

The referendum will be held from March 18 through April 8, 2005, to determine support for the amendments. Ballot material will be mailed to all known Irish potato producers in Washington. To be eligible to vote, a producer must have produced Irish potatoes for the fresh market within the production area during the representative period of July 1, 2003 through June 30, 2004.

The proposed amendments are based on the hearing record and evidence presented at a USDA public hearing held in Moses Lake, Washington on Nov. 20, 2003. The proposed amendments were submitted by the State of Washington Potato Committee, which administers the order locally, and include:

* adding the authority to establish container and marking regulations;

* requiring committee producer members to have produced potatoes for the fresh market for at least three out of the last five years prior to nomination;

* providing more flexibility in scheduling nomination meetings to increase producer participation;

* adding authority to change the size of the committee; and

* adding the authority to allow additional alternates to serve when a committee member and that member's alternate are unable to serve.

In addition, USDA’s Agricultural Marketing Service has proposed establishing tenure limitations for committee members and requiring continuance referenda be conducted on a periodic basis to ascertain industry support for the order.

The referendum will be conducted according to federal eligibility rules. Federal rules will accompany ballots mailed out to producers. Under these rules, any Irish potato producer producing for the fresh market and wishing to vote may request a ballot by mail at USDA Northwest Marketing Field Office, AMS Fruit and Vegetable Programs, 1220 S.W. Third Ave., Room 369, Portland, OR 97204, or by telephone at (503) 326-2724.

The proposed amendments would become effective only if approved either by two-thirds of the producers voting in the referendum, or by those representing at least two-thirds of the Irish potatoes grown for the fresh market by those voting in the referendum. Authority for such order rests in the Agricultural Marketing Agreement Act of 1937.