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VOTING INSTRUCTIONS AND RULES 

GOVERNING PRODUCER ELIGIBILITY TO VOTE

I. VOTING PERIOD: ______________, 20___ through _______________, 20___

II. REPRESENTATIVE PERIOD: ________________, 20___ through _______________. 20___

III. PRODUCTION AREA: Territory included within Malheur County, Oregon, and the counties of Adams, 

Valley, Lemhi, Clark, and Fremont in the State of Idaho, and all of the counties in Idaho lying south 

thereof.

IV. PERSONS ELIGIBLE TO VOTE: Any cooperative association engaged in the marketing of fresh 

potatoes grown in the production area during the representative period. Section 608c(12) of the 

Agricultural Marketing Agreement Act of 1937 provides, in part, that the Secretary of Agriculture shall 

consider the approval or disapproval by any cooperative association, bona fide engaged in the marketing of 

the commodity covered by the subject marketing order, as the approval or disapproval of the producers who 

are members of, stockholders in, or under contract with, such cooperative association. Cooperative 

associations are defined in the Capper-Volstead Act (7 U.S.C. 291, 292). Each separate business unit, 

partnership, LLC, family enterprise, corporation, association, estate, or firm that is a member of the 

cooperative association is entitled to one vote. 

“Producer” means any individual, partnership, LLC, corporation, association, institution, estate, or other 

business unit who:

 Owns and farms land resulting in ownership of the potatoes produced thereon;

 Rents and farms land resulting in ownership of all or a portion of the potatoes produced thereon; or

 Owns land from which, as rental for such land, ownership is obtained of a portion of the potatoes 

produced thereon. (A lien holder, cash landlord, or person having only a financial interest in the potato 

crop is not eligible to vote.)

V. HOW TO VOTE:

A. Indicate your vote by placing an “X” in the appropriate box.

B. Print or type the information requested under the eligibility statement. All information must be 

provided to ensure the validity of the Ballot. 

C. Sign below the certification. Incomplete or unsigned Ballots cannot be counted. 

Attach to the Ballot a list of potato producers in the production area who are currently members of, 

stockholders in, or under contract with the cooperative association named herein as of the date this Ballot is 

cast, and who produced potatoes for fresh market during the representative period. For each such producer 

provide the following:

a. Address (street and house number, rural route number, city, state, zip code).

b. Volume of potatoes produced for fresh market during the representative period in hundredweight.

Attach to the Ballot a certified copy of the resolution of the Board of Directors authorizing the individual 

signing this Ballot to cast the Ballot on behalf of the cooperative association.

Mail the completed Ballot, producer list, and corporate resolution in the enclosed envelope and return to 

Referendum Agent, USDA-AMS-SCP-NWMFO, 1220 SW 3rd AVENUE, ROOM 308, PORTLAND, OR

97204. For further information, please call (503) 326-2724.

Ballots must be postmarked by _________________, 20___ to be valid.

According to the Paperwork Reduction Act of 1995, an agency may not conduct or sponsor, and a person is not required to respond to a 

collection of information unless it displays a valid OMB control number. The valid OMB control number for this information collection is 0581-

0178. The time required to complete this information collection is estimated to average 20 minutes per response, including the time for reviewing 

instructions, searching existing data sources, gathering and maintaining the data needed, and completing and reviewing the collection of 

information.
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COOPERATIVE ASSOCIATION REFERENDUM BALLOT

Marketing Order No. 945: Irish Potatoes Grown in 

Certain Designated Counties in Idaho, and Malheur County, Oregon

Please read the attached VOTING INSTRUCTIONS AND RULES GOVERNING PRODUCER 

ELIGIBILITY TO VOTE before completing this Ballot.

This referendum is being held to determine producer support for the federal marketing order regulating the handling 

of potatoes grown in certain designated counties in Idaho, and Malheur County, Oregon. The Secretary of 

Agriculture (Secretary) will consider termination of this order if less than two-thirds of those voting and less than 

two-thirds of the volume represented in the referendum favor continuance. 

A. Do you favor continuance of the Marketing Order No. 945, regulating the handling of potatoes grown in certain 

designated counties in Idaho, and Malheur County, Oregon?

 YES  NO

COOPERATIVE ASSOCIATION ELIGIBILITY STATEMENT

B. Contact Name ____________________________________ Phone Number _______________________

Name of Cooperative Association __________________________________________________________

Mailing Address ________________________________________________________________________

City ______________________________________ State _______ Zip Code ____________________

What is the total hundredweight of potatoes produced for fresh market in the 

production area by the member producers of this cooperative association during the 

representative period of ______________, 20___ through ______________, 20___?

What is the total number of producers for which this cooperative association is 

casting this Ballot?

C. I hereby certify that the information I provided on this Ballot is accurate and correct to the best of 

my knowledge.

_____________________________________________ ____________________________________

Signature* Title

*Your signature certifies that you have the authority to take such action and will submit supplementary evidence of 

such authority at the request of an agent of the Secretary of Agriculture. The information provided in this Ballot is 

required to determine voter eligibility and vote of potato producers.

 

In accordance with Federal civil rights law and U.S. Department of Agriculture (USDA) civil rights regulations and policies, the USDA, its 

Agencies, offices, and employees, and institutions participating in or administering USDA programs are prohibited from discriminating based on 

race, color, national origin, religion, sex, gender identity (including gender expression), sexual orientation, disability, age, marital status, 

family/parental status, income derived from a public assistance program, political beliefs, or reprisal or retaliation for prior civil rights activity, in 

any program or activity conducted or funded by USDA (not all bases apply to all programs). Remedies and complaint filing deadlines vary by 

program or incident.

Persons with disabilities who require alternative means of communication for program information (e.g., Braille, large print, audiotape, American 

Sign Language, etc.) should contact the responsible Agency or USDA’s TARGET Center at (202) 720-2600 (voice and TTY) or contact USDA 

through the Federal Relay Service at (800) 877-8339. Additionally, program information may be made available in languages other than English. 

To file a program discrimination complaint, complete the USDA Program Discrimination Complaint Form, AD-3027, found online at 

http://www.ascr.usda.gov/complaint_filing_cust.html and at any USDA office or write a letter addressed to USDA and provide in the letter all of 

the information requested in the form. To request a copy of the complaint form, call (866) 632-9992. Submit your completed form or letter to 

USDA by: (1) mail: U.S. Department of Agriculture Office of the Assistant Secretary for Civil Rights 1400 Independence Avenue, SW 

Washington, D.C. 20250-9410; (2) fax: (202) 690-7442; or (3) email: program.intake@usda.gov. USDA is an equal opportunity provider, 

employer, and lender. 
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