The U.S. Department of Agriculture (USDA) has extended the voting period for a referendum among eligible Florida citrus producers to determine whether they favor continuance of a marketing order. The voting period that was originally set to close Nov. 9 has been extended through Dec. 1. The marketing order regulates the handling of oranges, grapefruit, tangerines and pummelos produced in Florida.
During the initial referendum voting period, USDA received requests from industry organizations to extend the voting period. The organizations cited significant production, recovery and business challenges facing Florida citrus producers and the need for additional time to ensure informed participation in the referendum. USDA extended the voting period to better enable producer participation.
USDA will continue to mail ballots to eligible voters who request one. All ballots received from Oct. 19 through Dec. 1 will be accepted.
Voters who have already submitted a ballot do not need to take further action. To be eligible to vote, growers within the production area south and east of the Suwanee River must have produced citrus during the period of Aug. 1, 2025, through July 31, 2026.
USDA would consider termination of the marketing order if less than two-thirds of the producers voting in the referendum and less than two-thirds of the citrus volume represented in the referendum vote in favor of continuance.
The USDA’s Agricultural Marketing Service (AMS) mailed ballots and voting instructions to all producers of record. Growers also have the option to vote by electronic ballot. Eligible producers who have not received a ballot should contact Rebecca Geller (Rebecca.Geller@usda.gov or 863-324-3375). Requests for a ballot may also be mailed to USDA, AMS, 1124 1st Street South, Winter Haven, FL 33880.
More information about the marketing order is available on the AMS 905 Florida Citrus webpage.
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.
Source: USDA
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