Citrus Producers Can Vote On Citrus Pest and Disease Management Referendum (10/14/2016)

 Agriculture Commissioner Sid Miller is calling on all Texas citrus producers to cast their vote for a referendum on whether to establish a citrus pest and disease management program in the Lower Rio Grande Valley. The program would help protect Texas’ valuable citrus industry and be administered by the Texas Citrus Pest and Disease Management Corporation (the Corporation). Citrus producers have until Oct. 24, 2016 to mail their ballots.

The Lower Rio Grande Valley Zone consists of all of Cameron, Hidalgo and Willacy counties. By voting in the referendum, eligible Texas citrus producers will decide if an assessment will be collected to fund the management program. Up to a maximum rate of $125 per acre will be collected per producer. Eligible voters may also elect up to 10 representatives to serve on the Corporation’s Board of Directors. The Corporation will set the assessment rate each year. Corporation rules may be found at Title 4, Texas Administrative Code, Part 1, Ch. 27.   

The referendum will be held by mail balloting only. Ballots were mailed to eligible producers as determined by county appraisal district records. If you have not received a ballot or would like to to request a ballot, contact:

Texas Citrus Pest and Disease Management Corporation

901 Business Park Drive, Suite 100, 

Mission, Texas, 78572. 

You may also call (800) 903-3276 to request a ballot. 

All ballots cast must be postmarked no later than Oct. 24, 2016 and mailed to:

Texas Department of Agriculture

Attn: Citrus Corporation Referendum

P.O. Box 12847 

Austin, Texas 78711.

Eligible voters include:

•  A citrus producer who grows citrus and receives or intends to receive income from the sale of citrus,
• An individual who as owner, landlord, tenant or sharecropper is entitled to share in the citrus grown and available for marketing from a grove or to share in the proceeds from the sale of the citrus from the grove, and
• A person who owns land that is primarily used to grow citrus and that is appraised based on agricultural use under Chapter 23, Tax Code, regardless of whether the person receives income from the sale of citrus, and there is an irrebuttable presumption that the person intends to receive income from the sale of citrus.

For more information regarding the referendum, contact Stuart Strnad at TDA, P.O. Box 12847, Austin, Texas, 78711, or 512-463-3285 or Stuart.Strnad@TexasAgriculture.gov.