SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION:

Pursuant to the Commodity Promotion, Research, and Information Act of 1996 (7 U.S.C. 7411-7425) (Act), it is hereby directed that a referendum be conducted to ascertain whether continuance of the Christmas Tree Promotion, Research, and Information Order (Order) (7 CFR part 1214) is favored by a majority of eligible domestic producers and importers covered under the program.

The representative period for establishing voter eligibility is September 1, 2025, through March 31, 2026. Producers who domestically produced 500 or more Christmas trees and importers who imported 500 or more Christmas trees into the United States during the representative period are eligible to vote. Persons who received an exemption from assessments pursuant to § 1214.53 for the entire representative period are ineligible to vote. The referendum will be conducted by express mail and electronic ballot from May 22, 2026 through June 2, 2026. Further details will be provided in the ballot instructions.

Section 518 of the Act (7 U.S.C. 7417) authorizes continuance referenda. Under § 1214.81(b) of the Order, USDA must conduct a referendum every seven years, at the request of the Board established in the Order, 10 percent or more of the number of persons eligible to vote in a referendum, or at any time as determined by the Secretary. The program's last continuance referendum was conducted in 2019; therefore, a referendum must be held in 2026 to comply with the Order.

USDA would continue the Order if it is favored by a majority of eligible domestic producers and importers voting in the referendum. If not favored, USDA would comply with the suspension and termination procedures at § 1214.82 and conduct appropriate rulemaking in accordance with the Order.

In accordance with the Paperwork Reduction Act of 1995 (44 U.S.C. chapter 35), the referendum ballot has been approved by the Office of Management and Budget (OMB) and assigned OMB No. 0581-0268. Approximately 1,200 persons will be eligible to vote in the referendum. It will take an average of 15 minutes for each voter to read the voting instructions and complete the referendum ballot.

Referendum Order

George Webster, Marketing Specialist, and Alexandra Caryl, Branch Chief, Mid-Atlantic Region Branch, Market Development Division, SCP, AMS, USDA, Stop 0244, Room 1406-S, 1400 Independence Avenue SW, Washington, DC 20250-0244, are designated as the referendum agents to conduct this referendum. The referendum procedures at §§ 1214.100 through 1214.108 of the Order, which were issued pursuant to the Act, shall be used to conduct the referendum.

The referendum agents will mail ballots and voting instructions, including how to vote electronically, to all known, eligible domestic producers and importers prior to the first day of the voting period. Any eligible domestic producer or importer who does not receive a ballot should contact a referendum agent no later than three days before the end of the voting period. Ballots delivered to AMS via express mail or electronic ballot must show proof of delivery by no later than 11:59 p.m. Eastern Time on June 2, 2026 to be included in the vote tabulation.

Authority:7 U.S.C. 7411-7425; 7 U.S.C. 7401.

91 FR 21396