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U.S. DEPARTMENT OF AGRICULTURE

AGRICULTURAL MARKETING SERVICE

SPECIALTY CROPS PROGRAM

PRODUCER REFERENDUM BALLOT

Marketing Order No. 959: Onions Grown in South Texas

VOTING INSTRUCTIONS

A. COMPLETE PARTS I, II, AND III. Incomplete or unsigned Ballots cannot be counted. Ballots 

must be postmarked by __________________, 20___.

B. ELIGIBLE VOTERS: Any person who produced onions for fresh market during the period 

_______________, 20___, through ________________, 20___, and who is now a producer, is 

eligible to vote.

1. A producer (or grower) is defined as: 

(a) anyone who produces onions for fresh market in the counties of Val Verde, Kinney, Uvalde, 

Medina, Wilson, Karnes, Goliad, Victoria, Calhoun, Maverick, Zavala, Frio, Atascosa, 

Dimmit, La Salle, McMullen, Live Oak, Bee, Refugio, Webb, Duval, Jim Wells, San Patricio, 

Nueces, Zapata, Jim Hogg, Brooks, Kleberg, Kenedy, Starr, DeWitt, Aransas, Hidalgo, 

Willacy and Cameron; 

(b) a renter or tenant of acreage producing onions for fresh market; or 

(c) a landlord who received from a renter or tenant such onions as rent for the land on which such 

onions were grown. A cash landlord, lienholder, or person having only a financial interest in 

the crop is not an eligible voter.

2. A business unit, partnership, family enterprise, corporation, association, estate, or firm may vote; 

however, each such entity is entitled to one vote.

3. Proxy voting is not authorized.

C. HOW TO VOTE:

1. Certify your eligibility by completing all information requested in Part I.

2. In Part II, indicate your preference on each issue by marking the appropriate box.

3. Certify your preferences by signing the appropriate section of Part III.

4. Return Parts I, II, and III in the self-addressed envelope provided. No postage is necessary.

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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PRODUCER REFERENDUM BALLOT

On Proposed Amendments to Marketing Order No. 959,

Regulating the Handling of Onions Grown in South Texas

BALLOTS POSTMARKED AFTER _________________, 20___, WILL NOT BE COUNTED IN THE 

REFERENDUM.

PART I. VOTER INFORMATION:

A. NAME (Please print) ____________________________________________________________________

B. SPECIFIC LOCATION OF ONION ACREAGE REPRESENTED IN THIS BALLOT:________________

______________________________________________________________________________________

C. DO YOU RESIDE ON THE PROPERTY ON WHICH THE ONIONS ARE PRODUCED? □YES □NO

IF NO, PLEASE GIVE YOUR RESIDENTIAL ADDRESS: _____________________________

_______________________________________________________________________________

D. PHONE NUMBER: ____________________________ FAX NUMBER: _____________________

E. IF NOT VOTING AS AN INDIVIDUAL PRODUCER, PLEASE MARK AN “X” IN THE 

APPROPRIATE BOX BELOW AND WRITE THE NAME AND ADDRESS OF THE BUSINESS UNIT 

YOU REPRESENT.

 PARTNERSHIP  CORPORATION  OTHER (Please specify) ____________________

F. HOW MANY 50-POUND EQUIVALENTS OF ONIONS DID YOU PRODUCE DURING THE PERIOD 

_______________, 20___, THROUGH ______________, 20 ___? ___________ 50-LB. EQUIVALENTS

G. HOW MANY ACRES OF ONIONS DID YOU HARVEST FOR FRESH MARKET DURING THE 

PERIOD _______________, 20___, THROUGH ______________, 20____? _____________ ACRES

H. WHICH PACKINGHOUSE(S) HANDLED YOUR ONIONS DURING THIS PERIOD?

______________________________________________________________________________________

______________________________________________________________________________________

PART II. AMENDMENT QUESTIONS:

Yes No

1. Do you favor adding authority to the Order to establish supplemental rates of assessment on 

specified containers of onions? (§ 959.42)

2. Do you favor adding authority to the Order to collect interest and late payment charges on unpaid 

handler assessments for onions? (§ 959.42)

3. Do you favor adding authority to the Order for marketing promotion, including paid advertising? 

(§ 959.48)

4. Do you favor limiting the number of consecutive terms a person may serve on the South Texas 

Onion Committee? (§ 959.23)

5. Do you favor requiring that continuance referenda be conducted every six years to ascertain 

industry support for the Order? (§ 959.84)
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PART III. CERTIFICATION STATEMENT:

A. If signing as an individual:

I am the producer named in Part I of this Ballot, and I certify that I am not a cash landlord, lienholder, or 

person having only a financial interest in the crop, and that the information provided on this Ballot and any 

attachment hereto is accurate and correct to the best of my knowledge.

______________________________________________________________________________________

SIGNATURE OF PRODUCER OR AUTHORIZED PERSON

B. If signing as the representative of a producing entity other than an individual, designate your title and

sign below:

I certify that I have authority to cast this Ballot and will submit evidence of such authority at the request of 

an agent of the Secretary of Agriculture.

_________________________________________________ ____________________________

SIGNATURE TITLE

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.