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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: The State of California.

IV. PERSONS ELIGIBLE TO VOTE: Any person who is currently a walnut producer in the 

State of California and produced such walnuts during the representative period 

_______________, 20__ through _______________, 20__, is entitled to cast one Ballot. 

Each separate business unit, partnership, family enterprise, corporation, association, estate, or 

firm is entitled to one vote.

“Producer” means any individual, partnership, corporation, association, or other business unit 

who:

1. Owns and farms land producing English walnuts for market;

2. Is a renter or tenant of a farm producing English walnuts for market; or

3. Is a landlord who received from a renter or tenant a portion of the production as rent for the 

land on which English walnuts were produced for market. (A landlord who rents for cash, a 

lien-holder or a person having only a financial interest in the crop is NOT eligible to vote.)

V. HOW TO VOTE:

Indicate your vote by placing an ‘X’ in the appropriate box.

Certify your walnut production by listing the pounds of English walnuts produced for market 

by you (or by the producer for whom this Ballot is cast) during the period 

__________________, 20___, through ___________________ , 20___.

Print or type your name, phone number, business name, and address.

Proxy voting is not authorized. If Ballot is cast by an officer or employee of a partnership, 

corporation, or other business unit, check box to indicate your business designation, and sign 

to indicate authority to vote. If partnership or joint venture, list names of partners.

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

Ballot so the Referendum Agent’s address is displayed, seal with tape and mail to:

Referendum Agent

USDA-AMS-SCP-NWMFO

2202 MONTEREY ST, SUITE 102-B

FRESNO, CA 93721. 

For further information, please call ______________________ at (559) 487-5901.

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 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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CALIFORNIA WALNUT BALLOT

UNITED STATES DEPARTMENT OF AGRICULTURE

Agricultural Marketing Service

Specialty Crops Program

Marketing Field Office

2202 Monterey Street, Suite 102-B

Fresno, CA 93721

CALIFORNIA

WALNUT

BALLOT

_____________________________________________________________________________________

TO CALIFORNIA WALNUT PRODUCERS:

The U.S. Department of Agriculture is submitting for producer consideration proposed amendments to 

Marketing Order No. 984 (Order), regulating the handling of walnuts grown in California. The proposed 

amendments will not be made effective unless they are favored by at least two-thirds of the eligible

producers voting in this Referendum or by producers representing at least two-thirds of the volume of

English walnuts voted in the Referendum. If approved, the proposed amendments would:

_____________________________________________________________________

A Producer Referendum Ballot is on the reverse side of this page. Also enclosed are:

1. Voting Instructions and Rules Governing Producer Eligibility to Vote; 

2. The news release announcing the Referendum; and

3. A copy of the Referendum Order dated _______________________________________, 20___.

The voting period for the referendum is ___________________________, 20___. Please vote promptly 

because Ballots postmarked later than __________________, 20___, cannot be opened or counted. 

Each Ballot will be held in strict confidence.

____________________________________

Referendum Agent

Phone: (559) 487-5901

.
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PRODUCER REFERENDUM BALLOT

Marketing Order No. 984: Walnuts Grown in California

Please read the enclosed VOTING INSTRUCTIONS AND RULES GOVERNING PRODUCER 

ELIGIBILITY TO VOTE before completing this Ballot.

A. This referendum is for amendment of the Order. Indicate your vote by placing an ‘X’ in the 

appropriate box.

YES  NO  1) Do you favor (list proposed amendment) ________________________?

YES  NO  2) Do you favor (list proposed amendment) ________________________?

YES  NO 

YES  NO 

YES  NO 

YES  NO 

YES  NO 

YES  NO 

YES  NO 

YES  NO 

YES  NO 

YES  NO 

YES  NO 

YES  NO 

YES  NO 

YES  NO 

YES  NO 

YES  NO 

YES  NO 
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VOTER CERTIFICATION ELIGIBILITY STATEMENT

B. I hereby certify that I am eligible producer of walnuts within the production area and that during 

the representative period from ______________________, 20___ to _____________________, 

20___, I produced: __________________ pounds (kernelweight) on _______________________ 

acres, in ____________________________________________________________________ 

County(ies).

SIGNATURE REQUIRED BELOW – SECTION D

C. Producer’s Name _____________________________________ Phone Number _____________

Name of Business _______________________________________________________________

Mailing Address ________________________________________________________________

City _______________________________ State ________________ Zip _________

D. If this Ballot is cast by an officer or employee of a partnership, corporation, association or other 

business unit, my signature below further certifies that I am duly authorized to vote on behalf of 

the producing entity name on this Ballot and that I will submit evidence of such authority at the 

request of an Agent of the Secretary.

Partnership LLC Corporation Association Other ________________________

___________________________________ _______________________________________

Signature* Title

_____________________________________________________________________________________

If Partnership or Joint Venture, list name(s).

E. 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 

California walnut producers. Falsification of information on this government document may result in a fine, or imprisonment, or both (18 U.S.C. 

1001).

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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CALIFORNIA WALNUT BALLOT

UNITED STATES DEPARTMENT OF AGRICULTURE

Agricultural Marketing Service

Specialty Crops Program

Marketing Field Office

2202 Monterey Street, Suite 102-B

Fresno, CA 93721

Referendum Agent

USDA-AMS-SCP-MFO

2202 MONTEREY STREET, SUITE 102-B

FRESNO, CA 93721

_____________________________________________________________________________________

FOLD HERE, TAPE AT THE TOP, AND MAIL PROMPTLY 

CALIFORNIA

WALNUT BALLOT