The U.S. Department of Agriculture (USDA) today announced that cranberry growers recently voted to continue their federal marketing order program for Cranberries Grown in States of Massachusetts, Rhode Island, Connecticut, New Jersey, Wisconsin, Michigan, Minnesota, Oregon, Washington, and Long Island in the State of New York.
In the referendum held May 6-28, 2019, 79 percent of growers who voted in the referendum favored continuation of the marketing order. Those voting in favor of continuation also represented 82 percent of the volume produced by those voting.
The marketing order enables the industry to fund production research, marketing research, market development projects, including paid advertising, and recommend volume control regulations. The marketing order requires a continuance referendum be held every four years during the month of May. For the marketing order to continue, a majority of the growers voting in the referendum, or growers representing a majority of the volume of these cranberries, must vote in favor of the order.
Authorized by the Agricultural Marketing Agreement Act of 1937, marketing orders are industry-driven programs that help producers and handlers achieve marketing success by leveraging their own funds to design and execute programs that they would not be able to do individually. AMS provides oversight to 29 fruit vegetable and specialty crops marketing orders and agreements which helps ensure fiscal accountability and program integrity.
More information about federal marketing orders is available on the AMS Marketing Orders and Agreements page or by contacting the Marketing Order and Agreement Division at (202) 720-2491.