Release No.: 071-15

Contact:

Sam Jones-Ellard (202) 660-2268

Samuel.jones@ams.usda.gov

WASHINGTON, June 15, 2015 – The U.S. Department of Agriculture (USDA)’s Agricultural Marketing Service (AMS) announced today that sorghum producers and importers voting in a national referendum have approved the continuation of the Sorghum Promotion, Research, and Information Order, commonly known as the Sorghum Checkoff Program.

The referendum took place from March 23, 2015, through April 21, 2015. Of the 1,202 valid ballots cast, 1,160 or 96.5 percent favored the program and 42 or 3.5 percent opposed continuing the program. For the program to continue, it must have been approved by at least a majority of those eligible persons voting for approval who were engaged in the production and sale of sorghum during the period January 1, 2011, through December 31, 2014.

The goal of the program is to strengthen the position of and to develop and expand the markets for sorghum and sorghum products. The United Sorghum Checkoff Board administers the program and comprises 13 sorghum producers, which includes representatives from the three largest sorghum producing states and four at large members.

A notice of the results of the referendum will be published in a future publication of the Federal Register. For more information, contact Craig Shackelford, Marketing Specialist, Research and Promotion Division, Livestock, Poultry, and Seed Program, AMS, USDA, 22 Jamesport Lane, White, GA 30184; Telephone: (470) 315-4246; craig.shackelford@ams.usda.gov.

Get state by state sorghum referendum results (PDF).

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