Michigan Beaners Vote on MBC

LANSING - Feb 26/04 - SNS -- Dry edible bean producers in Michigan are now voting on whether to continue the activities of the Michigan Bean Commission.

Voting on the referendum started on Monday and will continue until March 5. The last vote took place in 1999 and must be repeated every five years to ensure the commission retains the support and confidence of beaners in the state.

Currently, the assessment is 10 cents per hundredweight. For the commission and its activities to be renewed, more than 50% of the producer votes cast, representing more than 50% of the total hundredweight represented on the cast ballots, must approve it.

Producers are eligible to vote if they produced dry beans for sale in any one of the last three years. For the purpose of this referendum, each producer, partnership or corporation is entitled to one vote. Eligible producers with questions or those not receiving a ballot should contact Michigan's agriculture department at (800) 292-3939.

All ballots must be filled out completely, signed and postmarked by March 5. Ballots should be sent to the attention of Debra Merrill, Michigan Department of Agriculture, P.O. Box 30017, Lansing, MI 48909.

The Michigan Bean Commission was appointed to improve the economic position of the state's dry bean producers by: promoting research on bean varieties and agronomic practices as well as research on developing and discovering the health, food, therapeutic, and dietetic value of beans and bean products; carrying out market development, market research, and promotional programs; and compiling and publicizing commodity information.

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