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The USDA Agricultural Marketing Service (AMS) announces that soybean producers may request a referendum to determine whether producers want the Secretary to conduct a referendum on the Soybean Promotion and Research Order, as authorized under the Soybean Promotion, Research and Consumer Information 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 to exceed 1/5 of producers from any one State, of the 515,008 eligible producers determined by the USDA participate in the request for referendum, a referendum will be held within one year from the determination.  If results of the request for referendum indicate that a referendum is not supported, a referendum will not be conducted.  The results of the request for referendum will be published in a notice in the Federal Register.

Soybean producers may request a referendum during the 4-week period beginning 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.

Form LS-51-1, Soybean Promotion and Research Order Request for Referendum, can be obtained from May 6, 2024, to May 31, 2024, by mail, FAX, or in person from Farm Service Agency County Offices, or can be downloaded from ams.usda.gov/rules-regulations/research-promotion/soybean. Completed forms and supporting documentation must be returned to the appropriate FSA County Office by FAX or in person no later than close of business on May 31, 2024; or by mail postmarked by midnight on May 31, 2024, and must be received in the FSA County Office by close of business on June 7, 2024.

For more information, contact Jeana Harbison, Research and Promotion Division; Livestock and Poultry Program, AMS, USDA; STOP 0249-Room2092-S; 1400 Independence Ave, SW, Washington, D.C. 20250-0249; tel (202) 720-5705.