As the Southeast Farm Press is reporting, the United States Department of Agriculture (USDA) has announced that the required percentage of farmer votes in favor of the referendum fell well short of what was needed for a referendum to prevail. In fact, there were only 759 requests for referendum forms at county Farm Service Agency offices.Soybean checkoff requests for referendum votes must take place every five years according to the USDA. In order for referendum to be ordered, ten percent of all eligible farmers most vote in favor of the referendum, and no more than one-fifth of the ten percent can come from the same state. There were 589,182 farmers eligible to vote for the referendum, but, again, only 759 requests were made at county Farm Service Agency offices. To read the Southeast Farm Press article click here.
The plan adopted by the USDA to notify farmers of the chance to request the referendum, and when, and where, was developed by the United Soybean Board (USB). To read the USB release on the results click here (then click on the link to the left under Checkoff-release is in PDF).
As the Southeast Farm Press reports, the USB has big responsibilities for soybean farmers:
USB is made up of 68 farmer-directors who oversee the investments of the soybean checkoff on behalf of all U.S. soybean farmers. Checkoff funds are invested in the areas of animal utilization, human utilization, industrial utilization, industry relations, market access and supply. As stipulated in the Soybean Promotion, Research and Consumer Information Act, USDA’s Agricultural Marketing Service has oversight responsibilities for USB and the soybean checkoff.For now, based on the level of interest for a referendum that the votes represented, it looks like the majority of United States soybean farmers are taking an "if ain't broke, don't fix it," approach to the checkoff program.
Posted: 07/27/09
