Blackberry Marketing Order Withdrawn

WASHINGTON - Feb 25/04 - SNS -- The USDA says the Oregon/Washington Blackberry Marketing Order Proponent Committee has withdrawn its request for a hearing to establish a processed blackberry marketing order.

Proponents said recent industry surveys indicated a clear lack of industry support for a marketing order.

For a marketing order to be implemented, it ultimately must be approved by at least two-thirds of those growers voting in a referendum, or by growers producing at least two-thirds of the volume of the commodity represented in a referendum. USDA encourages a showing of broad support for an order prior to holding a formal hearing.

Marketing orders and marketing agreements are designed to help stabilize market conditions for fruit and vegetable products. The programs allow farms to collectively work to solve marketing problems. Industries voluntarily enter into these programs and choose to have federal oversight of certain aspects of their operations. USDA’s Agricultural Marketing Service oversees the programs to ensure that orders and agreements operate in the public interest and within legal bounds.

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