§ 1205.202 Agencies through which a referendum shall be conducted. ( a ) Agricultural Marketing Service. The Administrator shall: ( 1 ) Determine the referendum period.
( 2 ) Give producers and importers reasonable advance notice of the referendum ( i ) by utilizing without advertising expense, available media of public information (including, but not being limited to, press and radio facilities) to announce the dates, places, or methods of voting, and other pertinent information, and
( ii ) by such other means as the Administrator may deem advisable.
( 3 ) Provide ballots and related material to be used in the referendum to FSA. The ballots: ( i ) shall provide for recording essential information for ascertaining whether the person voting is an eligible voter, and
( ii ) may provide for recording the total amount of Upland cotton produced by the producer or the total amount of cotton imported by the importer during the appropriate representative period.
( 4 ) Make available to producers through FSA county offices instructions on voting, an appropriate ballot and, except in the case of a referendum on the termination or suspension of an order, a summary of the terms and conditions of the order. The instructions on voting shall explain the method to be used in determining the amount of Upland cotton produced during the representative period and shall specify whether such amount is to be entered on the ballot by the voter, subject to the following terms and conditions: ( i ) If a current production year for which harvesting has not been completed is designated as the representative period, the amount of Upland cotton produced shall be determined by the FSA county office on the basis of the acreage planted or in the case of approved prevented plantings under the disaster payment program, the acreage the person intended to plant up to the allotted acreage as determined by the FSA county office, and the established yield for FSA program payment purposes: *Provided,* That on farms for which an established yield has not been established, the county committee shall determine an established yield based on actual production records on the farm for the preceding three years, as adjusted for any abnormal conditions, if available; if not available, on the basis of yield on similar farms in the area.
( ii ) On farms in which more than one eligible voter is engaged in production, the vote cast by each voter shall represent only the amount of Upland cotton that is the voter's share of the crop, or proceeds thereof.
( iii ) If an eligible voter is engaged in production of Upland cotton on more than one farm, such voter is entitled to only one vote but any vote cast by such voter shall represent the total amount of Upland cotton that is that voter's share of the crop, or proceeds thereof, on all such farms: *Provided,* That only farms for which records are maintained by the FSA county office designated as the voter's polling place shall be considered unless the voter, prior to the expiration of the referendum period, establishes to the satisfaction of such county office the voter's share of the crop, or proceeds thereof, on an additional farm or farms.
( 5 ) Make available to importers through FSA instructions on voting, an appropriate ballot and, except in the case of a referendum on the termination or suspension of an order, a summary of the terms and conditions of the order. The instructions on voting shall explain the appropriate method to be used in determining the amount of cotton imported during the representative period and specify whether such amount is to be entered on the ballot. If applicable, the following terms and conditions apply: ( i ) For importer entities in which more than one importer is eligible to vote, the vote cast by each importer shall represent only the amount in weight or value of cotton imported by each eligible voter.
( ii ) If an eligible importer is engaged in importation of cotton as more than one importer entity, such voter is entitled to only one vote but any vote cast by such voter shall represent the total amount in weight or value, of cotton in the voters share of cotton imported from each such importer entity: Provided, that only the importer entities for which records are maintained by CBP or other source determined by the Administrator shall be considered unless the voter, prior to the expiration of the referendum period, establishes to the satisfaction of the Administrator the voters share, in weight or value, of the imported cotton.
( b ) *Farm Service Agency.* Except for the functions specified in paragraph (a) of this section the Deputy Administrator shall be in charge of and responsible for conducting the referendum. Each FSA county office shall be in charge and responsible for conducting such referendum in its State. Each county office shall be responsible for the proper holding of such referendum in its county. It shall be the duty of each FSA county office to conduct each referendum in a fair, unbiased, and impartial manner in accordance with the regulations in this subpart.