Notice2026-11883
Pecans Grown in the States of Alabama, Arkansas, Arizona, California, Florida, Georgia, Kansas, Louisiana, Missouri, Mississippi, North Carolina, New Mexico, Oklahoma, South Carolina, and Texas; 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
June 12, 2026
Issuing agencies
Agriculture DepartmentAgricultural Marketing Service
Abstract
This document directs that a referendum be conducted among eligible pecan growers to determine whether they favor continuance of the marketing order regulating the handling of pecans grown in the states of Alabama, Arkansas, Arizona, California, Florida, Georgia, Kansas, Louisiana, Missouri, Mississippi, North Carolina, New Mexico, Oklahoma, South Carolina, and Texas.
Full Text
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<title>Federal Register, Volume 91 Issue 113 (Friday, June 12, 2026)</title>
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[Federal Register Volume 91, Number 113 (Friday, June 12, 2026)]
[Notices]
[Page 35653]
From the Federal Register Online via the Government Publishing Office [<a href="http://www.gpo.gov">www.gpo.gov</a>]
[FR Doc No: 2026-11883]
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DEPARTMENT OF AGRICULTURE
Agricultural Marketing Service
[Doc. No. AMS-SC-26-0430]
Pecans Grown in the States of Alabama, Arkansas, Arizona,
California, Florida, Georgia, Kansas, Louisiana, Missouri, Mississippi,
North Carolina, New Mexico, Oklahoma, South Carolina, and Texas;
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 pecan growers to determine whether they favor continuance of
the marketing order regulating the handling of pecans grown in the
states of Alabama, Arkansas, Arizona, California, Florida, Georgia,
Kansas, Louisiana, Missouri, Mississippi, North Carolina, New Mexico,
Oklahoma, South Carolina, and Texas.
DATES: The referendum will be conducted from July 6 through August 3,
2026. Only current pecan growers within the production area who have
produced a minimum average of 50,000 pounds of inshell pecans over the
four years from October 1, 2021, to September 30, 2025, or who own a
minimum of 30 pecan acres, are eligible to vote in this referendum.
Ballots delivered to AMS via U.S. mail or electronic ballot must show
proof of delivery by no later than 11:59 p.m. Eastern Time on August 3,
2026, to be included in the vote tabulation.
ADDRESSES: Copies of the marketing order may be obtained from the
office of the referendum agents at U.S. Department of Agriculture
Southeast Marketing Field Office, 1124 1st Street South, Winter Haven,
FL 33880; telephone: (863) 324-3375; or from the Docket Clerk, Market
Development Division, Specialty Crops Program, AMS, USDA, 1400
Independence Avenue SW, STOP 0237, Washington, DC 20250-0237; telephone
(202) 720-8085; or on the internet: <a href="https://www.ecfr.gov/current/title-7/subtitle-B/chapter-IX/part-986">https://www.ecfr.gov/current/title-7/subtitle-B/chapter-IX/part-986</a>.
FOR FURTHER INFORMATION CONTACT: Jennie M. Varela, Marketing
Specialist, or Christian D. Nissen, Branch Chief, Southeast Region
Branch, Market Development Division, Specialty Crops Program, AMS,
USDA, 1124 1st Street South, Winter Haven, FL 33880; telephone: (863)
324-3375; or email: <a href="/cdn-cgi/l/email-protection#1e547b7070777b30487f6c7b727f5e6b6d7a7f30797168"><span class="__cf_email__" data-cfemail="8cc6e9e2e2e5e9a2daedfee9e0edccf9ffe8eda2ebe3fa">[email protected]</span></a> or
<a href="/cdn-cgi/l/email-protection#90d3f8e2f9e3e4f9f1febedef9e3e3f5fed0e5e3f4f1bef7ffe6"><span class="__cf_email__" data-cfemail="a5e6cdd7ccd6d1ccc4cb8bebccd6d6c0cbe5d0d6c1c48bc2cad3">[email protected]</span></a>.
SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION: Pursuant to Marketing Order No. 986, as
amended (7 CFR part 986; the Order), and the applicable provisions of
the Agricultural Marketing Agreement Act of 1937, as amended (7 U.S.C.
601-674) (the Act), it is hereby directed that a referendum be
conducted to ascertain whether continuance of the Order is favored by
pecan growers in the states of Alabama, Arkansas, Arizona, California,
Florida, Georgia, Kansas, Louisiana, Missouri, Mississippi, North
Carolina, New Mexico, Oklahoma, South Carolina, and Texas. The
referendum will be conducted from July 6 through August 3, 2026, among
pecan growers in the production area. Only current pecan growers within
the production area that produced a minimum average of 50,000 pounds of
inshell pecans over the four years from October 1, 2021, to September
30, 2025, or that own a minimum of 30 pecan acres, are eligible to vote
in this referendum.
USDA has determined that continuance referenda are an effective
means for determining whether growers favor the continuation of
marketing order programs. Under Sec. 986.94(d), USDA must conduct a
referendum every five years to ascertain whether continuance of the
provisions of this part applicable to pecans are favored by two-thirds
by number or volume of growers voting in the referendum. USDA will
consider termination of the Order if less than two-thirds of the
growers voting in the referendum, and less than two-thirds of the pecan
volume represented in the referendum, vote in favor of 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 relative benefits and costs to growers,
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. 0581-0291, Federal Marketing Order for Pecans. It has
been estimated it will take an average of 20 minutes for each of the
approximately 4,500 pecan growers to cast a ballot. Participation is
voluntary. Ballots postmarked after August 3, 2026, will not be
included in the vote tabulation.
Delaney Fuhrmeister, Rebecca Geller, Steven Kauffman, Christian
Nissen, and Jennie Varela of the Southeast Region Branch, 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 part 900.400 et seq.).
Ballots and voting instructions will be sent by U.S. mail, or
through electronic mail, to all pecan growers 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. 2026-11883 Filed 6-11-26; 8:45 am]
BILLING CODE 3410-02-P
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</html>Indexed from Federal Register on June 12, 2026.
This is legal information, not legal advice. Laws vary by jurisdiction and change frequently. Always verify current law with official sources and consult a licensed attorney in your jurisdiction for advice on your specific situation.