§7417 Referenda

Summary

The Secretary must hold votes so the people who would pay assessments can say whether they want an order started, kept, paused, or ended. An initial vote may be held to decide if the order should go into effect. The vote is among those who would pay assessments and who produced, handled, or imported the commodity during a time the Secretary picks. The Secretary decides how to count the results and can make the industry post a bond to pay for the vote. The Secretary must hold a vote about continuing or ending the order no later than 3 years after assessments begin, unless an initial vote was already held. Another vote must be held no later than 7 years after assessments start, or sooner if the board asks or if at least 10 percent of eligible voters ask. The Secretary can also call a vote at any time. Approval can be by a majority of votes, by approval votes representing a majority of the commodity’s volume, or both. The board must repay the Secretary’s costs. The Secretary sets the voting rules, can require advance registration by mail or in person, allows mail or in-person voting, and must notify the industry at least 30 days before voting with the voting and registration details.