The U.S. Department of Agriculture (USDA) announced that in a referendum held May 13-27, 2024, producers in the federal marketing order for pears grown in Oregon and Washington approved lowering the voting requirement for changes to the fresh pear handling regulations from the current 80% in favor to 75% in favor.
In the referendum, 99.24% of voting pear producers, representing 99.42% of the production volume voting in the referendum, favored the amendment. The votes met the requirement of needing support from two-thirds of the producers voting, or two-thirds of the volume represented.
More information about the pear marketing order is available on the Agricultural Marketing Service (AMS) 927 Oregon and Washington Pears webpage or the Marketing Orders and Agreements webpage or by contacting the Market Development Division at (202) 720-8085.
Authorized by the Agricultural Marketing Agreement Act of 1937, marketing orders are industry-driven programs that help fruit, vegetable and specialty crop 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 oversees fruit, vegetable and specialty crop marketing orders and agreements, which helps ensure fiscal accountability and program integrity.
