PORTLAND, Ore. – April 20, 2017
The U.S. Department of Agriculture announced the results of an Oregon and Washington pear producer referendum to continue Federal Marketing Order 927, showing that 97% of fresh pear growers favored a continuation of the marketing order.
Commenting on the results of the referendum vote, Kevin Moffitt, manager of the Fresh Pear Committee of Marketing Order 927 and president and CEO of Pear Bureau Northwest said, “We are pleased to gain the continued support and confidence of our grower members. The industry has been working together for over 85 years to increase the consumption of fresh pears among consumers around the world while supporting the viability and sustainability of the fresh pear growers and orchards.”
The marketing order allows the industry to collect and distribute vital size, grade and availability information throughout the season as well as providing money for important pre and post harvest research as well as funding in support of activities conducted by Pear Bureau Northwest to increase consumption of fresh pears worldwide.
“While consumer behaviors and preferences in produce continually change, we strive to keep pears relevant providing custom category analysis to retailers and capturing consumer attention with innovative and effective promotions and initiatives,” says Moffitt.
Established in 1939, Marketing Order 927 is the longest continuously running marketing order in the United States. Pear growers have the opportunity to vote every six years on whether or not to continue the marketing order.
More about the vote:
Ballots representing 478 growers were voted in the referendum, representing approximately 32% of eligible voters. The total industry vote in Oregon and Washington was 97% yes by number of growers, representing 90% of the pear volume voted.
The referendum was held from February 15 to March 1 to determine support for the continuation. To be eligible to vote, a grower must have produced pears within the production area during the representative period of July 1, 2015 through June 30, 2016.
For the marketing order to continue, it required approval either by two-thirds of the pear producers voting in the referendum or by producers representing two-thirds of the volume of pears voted in the referendum.
More about Federal Marketing Orders: https://www.ams.usda.gov/rules-regulations/moa/fv
The USDA designates that “Marketing orders and agreements are industry-driven programs that help fruit, vegetable, and specialty crop producers and handlers achieve marketing success. By working together, industry members leverage their own funds to design and execute programs that they would not be able to do as individuals.”
About Pear Bureau Northwest and USA Pears
Celebrating 85 years, Pear Bureau Northwest was established in 1931 to promote the fresh pears grown in Oregon and Washington. Today, the United States is the second largest pear-producing country in the world, and beautiful orchards in Washington and Oregon comprise the nation’s largest pear growing region with nearly 1,000 growers producing 84% of all commercially grown fresh pears in the United States. Pears grown in these two Pacific Northwest states are distributed under the “USA Pears” brand.
To learn more visit www.usapears.org, and follow USA Pears on Facebook at www.facebook.com/usapears and Twitter @USApears.