Pork producers can vote in person Sept. 19-21 on continuation of the pork checkoff program. Absentee voting runs Aug. 18-Sept. 21.
Voting will be at Farm Service Agency (FSA) county offices. Absentee ballots can be requested in person, by mail, fax or by telephone. Absentee ballots must be turned in to county FSA offices by the close of business Sept. 21 or be postmarked by that date.
Producers who have owned and sold one or more pigs from Aug. 18, 1999, to Aug. 17, 2000, are eligible to vote, as are importers of pigs or pork products.
The U.S. Department of Agriculture's (USDA) Agricultural Marketing Service (AMS), in charge of the pork referendum, projects there will be 50,000 votes cast, half in-person and half by absentee ballots.
Ballots will be tallied by AMS on Nov. 29 and results will be known sometime after that date.