SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION:

Pursuant to Marketing Order No. 915, as amended (7 CFR part 915) (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 Florida avocado growers. The referendum will be conducted from September 21 through October 13, 2026, among Florida avocado growers in the Order's production area. Only current Florida avocado growers that were engaged in the production of avocados for market during the period of April 1, 2025, through March 31, 2026, may participate in the continuance referendum.

USDA has determined that continuance referenda are an effective means for determining whether growers favor the continuation of marketing order programs. In accordance with § 915.64(d), USDA must conduct a referendum every six years. USDA would consider termination of the Order if continuance is not favored by at least two-thirds of the producers voting in the referendum, or at least two-thirds of the volume represented in the referendum. 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. 0581-0189, Fruit Crops. It has been estimated that it will take an average of 20 minutes for each of the approximately 200 South Florida avocado growers to cast a ballot. Participation is voluntary. 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 October 13, 2026, to be included in the vote tabulation.

Steven Kauffman, Delaney Fuhrmeister, Rebecca Geller, Jennie Varela, and Christian D. Nissen 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 900.400 et seq.).

Ballots and voting instructions will be sent by U.S. mail or through electronic mail to all Florida avocado growers of record and may also be obtained from the referendum agents or their appointees.

Authority:7 U.S.C. 601-674.

91 FR 57855