The USDA has proposed the termination of the federal cranberry marketing order.
In a Federal Register notice Dec. 7, the USDA invited comments on the proposed termination of the Federal marketing order regulating the handling of cranberries grown in the States of Massachusetts, Rhode Island, Connecticut, New Jersey, Wisconsin, Michigan, Minnesota, Oregon, Washington, and Long Island in the State of New York.
Comments are accepted through Feb. 5, the USDA said.
The cranberry federal marketing order has been in effect since 1962 and provides the cranberry industry with authority for production research, marketing promotion, and development, including paid advertising, as well as authority for volume regulation through producer allotments or handler withholding, the release said.
The order also authorizes reporting and recordkeeping functions required for the operation of the program.
The USDA proposal is based on the results of a continuance referendum in which producers failed to support the continuation of the order, the notice said.
“USDA believes termination of this program would be appropriate as the order is no longer favored by industry producers,” the release said.
The referendum, held from June 9 through June 30, was mailed by the USDA to 944 producers in the production area. The growers cast 366 valid ballots, with the result indicating that 73.5% of cranberry growers, who produced 79.9% of the production volume, voted in the referendum and favored the termination of the program.
