February 21, 2008

LANSING - Michigan corn producers today approved a referendum to continue the Corn Marketing Program of Michigan.

The Corn Marketing Program of Michigan increases the utilization of Michigan corn through market development, education, and research. It will continue for an additional five years, beginning March 1, 2008, and ending February 28, 2013. The current assessment rate is one cent ($.01) per bushel. A total of 2,096 valid ballots were cast in the referendum. Of the 2,096 ballots, 1,659 producers voted yes (79 percent), representing 52,521,859.39 bushels of corn (77 percent); and 437 producers voted no (21 percent), representing 15,625,051.48 bushels of corn (23 percent). For the program to have been renewed, more than 50 percent of the producer votes cast, representing more than 50 percent of the total number of bushels represented on the cast ballots, must have approved it.

The program was last approved in 2003, and by law, must be renewed every five years.