By Andi Anderson
Michigan's corn producers have made their voices heard, rejecting a proposed assessment increase under the Agriculture Commodities Marketing Act. The Michigan Department of Agriculture and Rural Development (MDARD) conducted the referendum for the Corn Marketing Program.
MDARD received a total of 1,317 ballots, with 107 deemed invalid. Of the valid 1,210 referendum ballots, 583 producers (48 percent) voted in favor of the proposed $0.01 per bushel increase, representing 41,612,583 bushels of corn (43 percent). On the opposing side, 627 producers (52 percent) voted against the increase, representing 55,402,313 bushels of corn (57 percent).
For the proposed amendment to pass, it required approval from more than 50 percent of the producer votes cast, representing over 50 percent of the total bushels on the cast ballots. However, with the majority of producers voting against the increase, the assessment remains at $0.01 per bushel of Michigan corn.
This decision aligns with the preference expressed by growers during the 2023 referendum, reinforcing the continued support for the existing assessment rate.
The outcome reflects the collaborative decision-making process within Michigan's corn-producing community, highlighting the importance of producers' input in shaping agricultural policies.
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Categories: Michigan, Crops, Corn