Opportunity for soybean producers - Request referendum

May 23, 2024

By Farms.com

Soybean producers in the United States have a chance to voice their opinions on the Soybean Promotion and Research Order. The USDA Agricultural Marketing Service (AMS) has announced that producers can request a referendum to determine whether they want the U.S. Secretary of Agriculture to conduct a referendum on the order.

Participation in this request for a referendum is voluntary. Soybean producers should participate if they wish to have a say in the future of the Soybean Promotion and Research program. The program, operated as the United Soybean Board, aims to maintain and expand both domestic and foreign markets for soybeans and soybean products.

Funding for the program comes from a mandatory assessment of 0.5 of 1 percent of the net market price of soybeans, with all producers marketing soybeans, except organic producers, required to pay the assessment.

To trigger a referendum, at least 10 percent of eligible producers must participate in the request. If successful, a referendum will be held within one year from the determination. However, if the request for a referendum does not garner enough support, no referendum will be conducted.

Soybean producers have until May 31 to request a referendum. To be eligible, producers must certify that they or the producer entity they represent paid an assessment between Jan. 1, 2022, and Dec. 31, 2023.

Video: Dicamba Returns for Georgia Farmers: What the New EPA Ruling Means for Cotton Growers

After being unavailable in 2024 due to registration issues, dicamba products are returning for Georgia farmers this growing season — but under strict new conditions.

In this report from Tifton, Extension Weed Specialist Stanley Culpepper explains the updated EPA ruling, including new application limits, mandatory training requirements, and the need for a restricted use pesticide license. Among the key changes: a cap of two ½-pound applications per year and the required use of an approved volatility reduction agent with every application.

For Georgia cotton producers, the ruling is significant. According to Taylor Sills with the Georgia Cotton Commission, the vast majority of cotton planted in the state carries the dicamba-tolerant trait — meaning farmers had been paying for technology they couldn’t use.

While environmental groups have expressed concerns over spray drift, Georgia growers have reduced off-target pesticide movement by more than 91% over the past decade. Still, this two-year registration period will come with increased scrutiny, making stewardship and compliance more important than ever.