Notice2025-22563
Sweet Onions Grown in the Walla Walla Valley of Southeast Washington and Northeast Oregon; Continuance Referendum
Primary source
Metadata and text below are from the Federal Register, a public-domain U.S. government work. Always verify the official published version before relying on it for any legal matter.
Published
December 11, 2025
Issuing agencies
Agriculture DepartmentAgricultural Marketing Service
Abstract
This document directs that a referendum be conducted among eligible Walla Walla sweet onion producers to determine whether they favor continuance of the marketing order regulating the handling of sweet onions grown in the Walla Walla Valley of southeast Washington and northeast Oregon.
Full Text
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<title>Federal Register, Volume 90 Issue 236 (Thursday, December 11, 2025)</title>
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[Federal Register Volume 90, Number 236 (Thursday, December 11, 2025)]
[Notices]
[Pages 57447-57448]
From the Federal Register Online via the Government Publishing Office [<a href="http://www.gpo.gov">www.gpo.gov</a>]
[FR Doc No: 2025-22563]
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DEPARTMENT OF AGRICULTURE
Agricultural Marketing Service
[Doc. No. AMS-SC-25-0037]
Sweet Onions Grown in the Walla Walla Valley of Southeast
Washington and Northeast Oregon; Continuance Referendum
AGENCY: Agricultural Marketing Service, USDA.
ACTION: Referendum order.
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SUMMARY: This document directs that a referendum be conducted among
eligible Walla Walla sweet onion producers to determine whether they
favor continuance of the marketing order regulating the handling of
sweet onions grown in the Walla Walla Valley of southeast Washington
and northeast Oregon.
DATES: The referendum will be conducted from January 12 through January
30, 2026. Only current Walla Walla sweet onion producers who have grown
onions within the designated production area during the period June 1,
2024, through May 31, 2025, are eligible to vote in this referendum.
ADDRESSES: Copies of the marketing order may be obtained from the
office of the referendum agents at 1220 SW 3rd Avenue, Suite 305,
Portland, Oregon 97204; telephone: (503) 326-2724; or from the Docket
Clerk, Market Development Division, Specialty Crops Program, AMS, USDA,
1400 Independence Avenue SW, STOP 0237,
[[Page 57448]]
Washington, DC 20250-0237; telephone: (202) 720-2491; or on the
internet <a href="https://www.ecfr.gov/current/title-7/subtitle-B/chapter-IX/part-956">https://www.ecfr.gov/current/title-7/subtitle-B/chapter-IX/part-956</a>.
FOR FURTHER INFORMATION CONTACT: Kelsey Dugan, Marketing Specialist, or
Barry Broadbent, Branch Chief, Northwest Region Branch, Market
Development Division, Specialty Crops Program, AMS, USDA, 1220 SW 3rd
Avenue, Suite 305, Portland, Oregon 97204; telephone: (503) 326-2724;
or email: <a href="/cdn-cgi/l/email-protection#3378565f40564a1d774654525d73464057521d545c45"><span class="__cf_email__" data-cfemail="501b353c2335297e142537313e10252334317e373f26">[email protected]</span></a> or <a href="/cdn-cgi/l/email-protection#f1b390838388dfb3839e909593949f85b184829590df969e87"><span class="__cf_email__" data-cfemail="aae8cbd8d8d384e8d8c5cbcec8cfc4deeadfd9cecb84cdc5dc">[email protected]</span></a>.
SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION: Pursuant to Marketing Order No. 956, as
amended (7 CFR part 956), hereinafter referred to as the ``Order,'' and
the applicable provisions of the Agricultural Marketing Agreement Act
of 1937, as amended (7 U.S.C. 601-674), hereinafter referred to as the
``Act,'' it is hereby directed that a referendum be conducted to
ascertain whether continuance of the Order is favored by sweet onion
producers in the Walla Walla Valley of southeast Washington and
northeast Oregon. The referendum will be conducted from January 12
through January 30, 2026, among Walla Walla sweet onion producers in
the production area. Only current Walla Walla sweet onion producers
that were engaged in the production of Walla Walla sweet onions during
the period of June 1, 2024, through May 31, 2025, may participate in
the continuance referendum.
USDA has determined that continuance referenda are an effective
means for determining whether producers favor the continuation of
marketing order programs. USDA would consider termination of the Order
if less than two-thirds of the producers voting in the referendum, or
producers of less than two-thirds of the volume represented in the
referendum, favor continuance. In evaluating the merits of continuance
versus termination, USDA will not exclusively consider the results of
the continuance referendum. USDA will also consider all other relevant
information concerning the operation of the Order and the relative
benefits and costs to producers, handlers, and consumers to determine
whether continued operation of the Order would tend to effectuate the
declared policy of the Act.
In accordance with the Paperwork Reduction Act of 1995 (44 U.S.C.
chapter 35), the ballot materials used in the referendum have been
approved by the Office of Management and Budget (OMB) and have been
assigned OMB No. 0581-0178, Vegetable and Specialty Crops. It has been
estimated that it will take an average of 20 minutes for each of the
approximately 11 Walla Walla sweet onion producers to cast a ballot.
Participation is voluntary. Ballots postmarked after January 30, 2026,
will not be included in the vote tabulation.
Kelsey Dugan and Barry Broadbent of the Northwest Region Branch,
Market Development Division, Specialty Crops Program, AMS, USDA, are
hereby designated as the referendum agents of the Secretary of
Agriculture to conduct this referendum. The procedure applicable to the
referendum shall be the ``Procedure for the Conduct of Referenda in
Connection with Marketing Orders for Fruits, Vegetables, and Nuts
Pursuant to the Agricultural Marketing Agreement Act of 1937, as
Amended'' (7 CFR 900.400 et seq.).
Ballots will be mailed to all Walla Walla sweet onion producers of
record and may also be obtained from the referendum agents or their
appointees.
Authority: 7 U.S.C. 601-674.
Erin Morris,
Administrator, Agricultural Marketing Service.
[FR Doc. 2025-22563 Filed 12-10-25; 8:45 am]
BILLING CODE P
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