Apr 2, 2019

Michigan carrot growers to vote on program, rate increase

Michigan carrot producers will soon vote on the future of the Carrot Industry Development Program as well as a proposal to increase the maximum assessment cost for processed carrots.

Michigan carrot producers will have an opportunity to cast two votes. One vote will decide whether to continue the Carrot Industry Development Program for an additional five years–in a referendum conducted by the Michigan Department of Agriculture and Rural Development (MDARD). The second vote will decide whether to increase the maximum assessment cost for processed carrots. The referendum will be conducted between April 1 and April 12, 2019.

Ballots were mailed by MDARD to carrot producers on March 27, 2019.  Producers are eligible to vote if they produced and sold carrots for human consumption valued at more than $1,000 in any one 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 three-quarters cents ($.0175) per master (50-pound bag) of fresh carrots and forty cents ($.40) per ton of processing carrots. Growers are being asked whether to authorize up to fifty cents ($.50) per ton for processing carrots.

For the program to be renewed, and the proposed increased to go into place, 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 April 12, 2019, and should be sent to MDARD, Executive Office, P.O. Box 30017, Lansing, MI 48909.

Eligible producers with questions or those not receiving a ballot should contact MDARD toll-free at 800-292-3939.