The U.S. Department of Agriculture has finalized procedures for the referendum on the continuation of the Sorghum Checkoff Program.

For the program to continue, the Sorghum Promotion, Research and Information Order requires that a referendum be conducted no later than three years after the start of assessments, which began on July 1, 2008. The order requires a simple majority vote in the referendum for the program to continue.

USDA is conducting the referendum through Feb. 28 at local Farm Service Agency offices for producers. Ballots may be obtained in person, by mail or facsimile at county FSA offices, or via the Internet at www.ams.-usda.gov/sorghumpage.

Any eligible person engaged in the production of sorghum from July 1, 2008, to Dec. 31, 2010, is eligible to participate. Individuals are required to provide documentation such as a sales receipt or a remittance form that shows they engaged in the production of sorghum.

The Sorghum Checkoff Program, and its 13-member board, is authorized by the Commodity Promotion, Research and Information Act of 1996. The mandatory program is funded at the rate of 0.6 percent of the net market value on grain sorghum and 0.35 percent of the net market value of sorghum forage.

Sorghum Checkoff is a national, coordinated, self-help marketing program designed to strengthen the position of sorghum in the marketplace, maintain and expand existing domestic and foreign markets and uses for sorghum, and develop new markets and uses for sorghum.

The final procedures were published in the Nov. 18, 2010, Federal Register.

The notice announcing the dates of the referendum were published in the Jan. 4, 2011, Federal Register.

Luke Fritz is executive director of the Butler County Farm Service Agency.