LANSING, Mich. - Michigan carrot producers will have an opportunity to vote on whether to continue the Carrot Industry Development Program in a referendum conducted by the Michigan Department of Agriculture (MDA) beginning Monday, June 15, 2009 and running through Friday, June 26, 2009.
 
Ballots will be mailed by MDA to carrot producers on Friday, June 12, 2009. Producers are eligible to vote if they produced and sold carrots for human consumption valued at more than $1,000 in any of the last three years. 
 
The Michigan Carrot Industry Development Program was designed to improve the economic position of the state's carrot producers by supporting and creating greater marketing opportunities through crop and market information, advertising and promotion and appropriate research. By law, it must be resubmitted for grower approval every five years. Currently, the assessment is one and one-half cents ($.015) per master of fresh carrots and thirty cents ($.30) per ton of processing carrots.
 
For the program to be renewed, more than 50 percent of the producer votes cast, representing more than 50 percent of the total unit of measure represented on the cast ballots, must approve it.
 
For the purpose of this referendum, each producer is entitled to one vote representing a single firm, individual proprietorship, corporation, company, association, partnership, or a husband-wife or family ownership. All ballots must be filled out completely, signed and postmarked by June 26, 2009, and should be sent to MDA, Executive Office, P.O. Box 30017, Lansing, MI 48909.
 
Eligible producers with questions or those not receiving a ballot should contact MDA toll-free at 800/292-3939.
 
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