Mushroom growers to vote on good agricultural practices measure

Published on 06/08/2009 01:18pm
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By Tom Karst

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Mushroom producers and importers will decide whether the Mushroom Council can impose mandatory good agricultural practices for mushrooms.

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Growers and importers will vote on the measure in mid-July, according to a June 4 news releases from the U.S. Department of Agriculture.

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The referendum, slated for July 7-16, also will ask producers and importers to approve a change in the membership in the Mushroom Council to reflect shifts in mushroom production, the USDA said in the release.

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The vote will be conducted by mail, the USDA said, by the department’s Agricultural Marketing Service. Ballots will be sent to all known producers and importers who paid assessment in 2008 by June 29.

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The Mushroom Promotion, Research, and Consumer Information Act requires that changes be approved by a majority of producers and importers voting in the referendum. The USDA said that is defined as the majority of producers and importers annually producing and importing more than 50 percent of mushrooms into the United States.

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The Mushroom, Promotion, Research, and Consumer Information Order was implemented under the Mushroom Promotion, Research, and Consumer Information Act of 1990. The USDA said the order was created to finance generic promotion, consumer information, and related research designed to maintain and expand markets for mushrooms.

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The proposed rule and referendum order will be published in the Federal Register at www.ams.usda.gov/FVPromotion, the news release said.