October 4, 2007

LANSING - Michigan Grade "A" milk producers have an opportunity to vote on whether to continue the Michigan Dairy Market Program (For Grade "A" Milk) in a referendum conducted by the Michigan Department of Agriculture (MDA). The referendum begins Monday, October 22, 2007, and ends Friday, November 2, 2007.

Ballots will be mailed to Michigan Grade "A" milk producers on Friday, October 19, 2007. Producers are eligible to vote if they produced Grade "A" milk for any market that had a value at first point of sale of $800 in any of the last three years.

The Michigan Dairy Market Program was developed to promote the sale of milk and milk products produced in Michigan and to increase consumer knowledge and acceptance of milk and milk products in general. The program was established in January 1983. By law, it must be resubmitted for producer approval every five years. Currently, the assessment is $.10 per hundredweight of milk.

For the program to be renewed, more than 50 percent of the producer votes cast (representing more than 50 percent of the total unit of measure represented on the cast ballots) must approve it.

For the purpose of this referendum, each producer is entitled to one vote representing a single firm, individual proprietorship, corporation, company, association, partnership, or a husband-wife or family ownership. Ballots should be sent to:

MDA - Executive Office
P.O. Box 30017
Lansing, MI 48909

All ballots must be filled out completely, signed, and postmarked no later than November 2, 2007.

Eligible producers with questions, or those who have not received a ballot, should contact MDA toll-free at 800-292-3939.