[Federal Register Volume 89, Number 23 (Friday, February 2, 2024)]
[Notices]
[Pages 7353-7354]
From the Federal Register Online via the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]
[FR Doc No: 2024-02136]


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DEPARTMENT OF AGRICULTURE

Agricultural Marketing Service

[Doc. No. AMS-LP-23-0027]


Soybean Promotion, Research, and Information Program: Opportunity 
To Request a Referendum

AGENCY: Agricultural Marketing Service, USDA.

ACTION: Notice.

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SUMMARY: The Agricultural Marketing Service (AMS) announces that 
soybean producers may request a referendum to determine if producers 
want the Secretary to conduct a referendum on the Soybean Promotion and 
Research Order (Order), as authorized under the Soybean Promotion, 
Research, and Consumer Information Act (Act). Participation in the 
Request for Referendum is voluntary. Producers should participate only 
if they wish to request a referendum on the program. If at least 10 
percent (not in excess of one-fifth of which may be producers in any 
one State) of the 413,358 eligible producers, as determined by the U.S. 
Department of Agriculture (USDA), participate in the Request for 
Referendum, a referendum would be held within 1 year from that 
determination. If results of the Request for Referendum indicate that a 
referendum is not supported, a referendum would not be conducted. The 
results of the Request for Referendum will be published in a notice in 
the Federal Register.

DATES: Soybean producers may request a referendum during a 4-week 
period beginning on May 6, 2024, and ending May 31, 2024. To be 
eligible to participate in the Request for Referendum, producers must 
certify that they or the producer entity they are authorized to 
represent paid an assessment at any time between January 1, 2022, and 
December 31, 2023.

[[Page 7354]]


ADDRESSES: Form LP-51-1, Soybean Promotion and Research Order Request 
for Referendum, may be obtained by mail, fax, or in person from the 
Farm Service Agency (FSA) county offices from May 6, 2024, to May 31, 
2024. Form LP-51-1 may also be obtained via the internet at https://www.ams.usda.gov/rules-regulations/research-promotion/soybean during 
the same time period. Completed forms and supporting documentation must 
be returned to the appropriate county FSA office by fax or in person no 
later than close of business May 31, 2024, or if returned by mail, must 
be postmarked by midnight May 31, 2024, and received in the county FSA 
office by close of business on June 7, 2024.

FOR FURTHER INFORMATION CONTACT: Jason Julian, Agricultural Marketing 
Specialist, Research and Promotion Division, Livestock and Poultry 
Program, AMS, USDA, STOP 0249, 1400 Independence Avenue SW, Washington, 
DC 20250-0249; Telephone (202) 720-5705; or Email to 
<a href="/cdn-cgi/l/email-protection#bdf7dcced2d393f7c8d1d4dcd3fdc8ced9dc93dad2cb"><span class="__cf_email__" data-cfemail="93d9f2e0fcfdbdd9e6fffaf2fdd3e6e0f7f2bdf4fce5">[email protected]</span></a>; or contact a local FSA Office; the phone 
numbers, fax numbers, and mailing addresses can be found at https://www.farmers.gov/.

SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION: In accordance with the Act (7 U.S.C. 6301-
6311), this notice announces the dates when the Request for Referendum 
will be conducted and the place where soybean producers may request a 
referendum on the Order (7 CFR part 1220). The Act provides that the 
Secretary, 5 years after the conduct of the initial referendum and 
every 5 years thereafter, shall give soybean producers an opportunity 
to request a referendum on the Order. The initial referendum was held 
in February 1994, and the results were announced on April 1, 1994. 
During the initial referendum, 85,606 valid ballots were cast, with 
46,060 (53.8 percent) in favor of continuing the Order and 39,546 votes 
(46.2 percent) against continuing the Order. The Act required approval 
by a simple majority for the Order to continue.
    The most recent opportunity for producers to request a referendum 
on the Order was in May 2019. During that period, 708 producers 
completed valid requests--short of the 51,501 required to trigger a 
referendum. On July 17, 2019, USDA announced the results of the Request 
for Referendum and that the requisite number of producers had not 
requested that a referendum be conducted.

Eligibility

    To be eligible to participate, soybean producers must certify that 
they or the entity they are authorized to represent paid an assessment 
under the Soybean Checkoff Program at sometime between January 1, 2022, 
and December 31, 2023. They must complete and submit Form LP-51-1--
Soybean Promotion and Research Order Request for Referendum, in person; 
by mail, postmarked by May 31, 2024, and received no later than June 7, 
2024; or by fax between May 6, 2024, and May 31, 2024. Individual 
producers and other producer entities would request a referendum at the 
county FSA office where FSA maintains and processes the producer's, 
corporation's, or other entity's administrative farm records. For the 
producer, corporation, or other entity not participating in FSA 
programs, the opportunity to request a referendum would be provided at 
the county FSA office serving the county where the producer, 
corporation, or other entity owns or rents land. Form LP-51-1 may also 
be obtained via the internet at https://www.ams.usda.gov/rules-regulations/research-promotion/soybean. If obtained by the internet, 
Form LP-51-1 must be completed and returned by mail, fax, or in person 
with the supporting documentation to the county FSA office where FSA 
maintains and processes the producer's, corporation's, or other 
entity's administrative farm records.
    In accordance with the Paperwork Reduction Act of 1995 (44 U.S.C. 
3501-3521), the information collection requirements connected with the 
Request for Referendum have been approved by the Office of Management 
and Budget (OMB) and assigned OMB control number 0581-0093.
    Authority: 7 U.S.C. 6301-6311.

Melissa Bailey,
Associate Administrator, Agricultural Marketing Service.
[FR Doc. 2024-02136 Filed 2-1-24; 8:45 am]
BILLING CODE 3410-02-P


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