April 9, 2009

LANSING - Michigandry bean producers have approved a referendum to continue the Michigan Bean Commission and its activities.

The Michigan Bean Commission and program will continue for an additional five years beginning Jan. 1, 2010, and ending Dec. 31, 2014. The current assessment is $.10 per hundredweight sold.

A total of 258 valid ballots were cast in the referendum. Of those, 229 producers voted yes (89 percent) representing 975,953 hundredweight (78 percent) and 29 producers voted no (11 percent) representing 269,353 hundredweight (22 percent). For the Commission and its activities to have been renewed, more than 50 percent of the voting producers, representing over 50 percent of the hundredweight sold by those voting, must have approved it.

The Michigan Bean Commission was appointed to improve the economic position of the state’s dry bean producers by: promoting research on bean varieties and agronomic practices as well as research on developing and discovering the health, food, therapeutic, and dietetic value of beans and bean products; carrying out market development, market research, and promotional programs; and compiling and publicizing commodity information.