[Federal Register Volume 65, Number 94 (Monday, May 15, 2000)]
[Rules and Regulations]
[Pages 30832-30833]
From the Federal Register Online via the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]
[FR Doc No: 00-12155]


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DEPARTMENT OF AGRICULTURE

Agricultural Marketing Service

7 CFR Part 1220

[No. LS-00-01]


Results of Soybean Request for Referendum

AGENCY: Agricultural Marketing Service, USDA.

ACTION: Notice of referendum results.

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SUMMARY: The Agricultural Marketing Service's (AMS) Request for 
Referendum shows that too few soybean producers want a referendum on 
the Soybean Promotion and Research Order (Order) for one to be 
conducted. The Request for Referendum was held from October 20, 1999, 
through November 16, 1999, at the Department of Agriculture's (USDA) 
county Farm Service Agency (FSA) offices. To trigger a referendum 
60,082 soybean producers must complete a Request for Referendum. The 
number of soybean producers requesting a referendum was 17,970.

FOR FURTHER INFORMATION CONTACT: Ralph L. Tapp, Chief; Marketing 
Programs Branch; Livestock and Seed Program, AMS, USDA; STOP-0251; 14th 
and Independence Avenue, SW.; Washington, D.C. 20250-0251. Telephone 
number 202/720-1115.

SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION: Pursuant to the Soybean Promotion, Research, 
and Consumer Information Act (Act)(7 U.S.C. 6301 et seq.), every 5 
years the Secretary of Agriculture (Secretary) will give soybean 
producers the opportunity to request a referendum on the Order. If the 
Secretary determines that at least 10 percent of U.S. producers engaged 
in growing soybeans (not in excess of one-fifth of which may be 
producers in any one State) support the conduct of a referendum, the 
Secretary must conduct a referendum within 1 year of that 
determination. If these requirements are not met, a referendum would 
not be conducted.
    A notice of opportunity to Request a Soybean Referendum was 
publicized in the Federal Register on September 13, 1999, at 64 FR 
49349. Soybean producers who produced soybeans during the 
representative period between January 1, 1997, and November 16, 1999, 
were eligible to participate in the Request for Referendum.
    According to USDA's soybean producer survey, there are 600,813 
soybean producers in the United States (see 64 FR 45413).
    A total of 17,970 valid Requests for Referendum were completed by 
eligible soybean producers. This number does not meet the requisite 
number of 60,082. Therefore, based on the Request for Referendum 
results, a referendum will not be conducted. In accordance with the 
provisions of the Act, soybean producers would be provided another 
opportunity to request a referendum in 5 years.
    The following is the State-by-State results of the Request for 
Referendum:

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                                                              Number of
                                                                valid
                           State                               requests
                                                                 for
                                                              referendum
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Alabama....................................................            9
Alaska.....................................................            0
Arizona....................................................            2
Arkansas...................................................           90
California.................................................            0
Colorado...................................................            1
Connecticut................................................            0
Delaware...................................................            0
Florida....................................................           13
Georgia....................................................            9
Hawaii.....................................................            0
Idaho......................................................            0
Illinois...................................................        5,851
Indiana....................................................        1,926
Iowa.......................................................        3,932
Kansas.....................................................          438
Kentucky...................................................          177
Louisiana..................................................           44
Maine......................................................            0
Maryland...................................................          119
Massachusetts..............................................            0
Michigan...................................................          408
Minnesota..................................................          991
Mississippi................................................           66
Missouri...................................................        1,019
Montana....................................................            0
Nebraska...................................................          500
Nevada.....................................................            0
New Hampshire..............................................            0
New Jersey.................................................           11
New Mexico.................................................            0
New York...................................................           35
North Carolina.............................................           28
North Dakota...............................................           41
Ohio.......................................................        1,449
Oklahoma...................................................           17
Oregon.....................................................            1
Pennsylvania...............................................           61
Puerto Rico................................................            0
Rhode Island...............................................            0
South Carolina.............................................           17
South Dakota...............................................          409
Tennessee..................................................          102
Texas......................................................           51
Utah.......................................................            0
Vermont....................................................            1
Virginia...................................................           30
Washington.................................................            0
West Virginia..............................................            3
Wisconsin..................................................          119
Wyoming....................................................            0
                                                            ------------
    Total..................................................      17,970.
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    Authority: 7 U.S.C. 6301-6311.


[[Page 30833]]


    Dated: May 9, 2000.
Barry L. Carpenter,
Deputy Administrator, Livestock and Seed Program.
[FR Doc. 00-12155 Filed 5-12-00; 8:45 am]
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