Release No. 049-15

Contact:

Hakim Fobia (202) 690-0488

WASHINGTON, April 22, 2015 -- The U.S. Department of Agriculture (USDA) today announced that Cranberry producers will vote from May 4 - 26, 2015, on whether to continue their federal marketing order.

The marketing order requires that a continuance referendum be held during the month of May every four years. To be eligible to vote, producers must have produced cranberries within the designated production area for the fresh market during the period Sept. 1, 2013, through Aug. 31, 2014.

USDA would continue the order unless more than 50 percent of the producers voting in the referendum and producers of more than 50 percent of the volume of cranberries represented in the referendum favor termination. Notice of the referendum was published in the April 22, 2015, Federal Register.

The Agricultural Marketing Service (AMS) will mail ballots and voting instructions to all producers of record. Eligible producers not receiving ballots may request them from Christian D. Nissen, Regional Director; USDA AMS FV Southeast Marketing Field Office, 1124 1st St. S., Winter Haven, FL 33880; phone: (863) 324-3375; fax (863) 291-8614.

Get the latest Agricultural Marketing Service news at www.ams.usda.gov/news or follow us on Twitter @USDA_AMS. You can also read about us on the USDA blog.

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