California Kiwifruit Growers Vote to Terminate the Federal Marketing Order

The U.S. Department of Agriculture (USDA) announced today that California kiwifruit growers voted to terminate their marketing order program.

In a referendum held May 18 through June 8, 2026, 56% of voting kiwifruit growers, representing 83% of the production volume voted in the referendum, favored termination. For the marketing order to continue, a majority of growers voting, or growers representing a majority of the volume, must have voted in favor of continuance.

USDA will issue a proposed rule to formally terminate the order and will work with the Kiwifruit Administrative Committee to suspend its collection of assessments and enforcement of mandatory quality requirements and reporting. Quality requirements on imported kiwifruit will also be suspended.

The committee administers the order which authorizes quality regulations, research and promotion programs, as well as markings, pack, and container regulations for California kiwifruit. More information about the committee is available on the Agricultural Marketing Service (AMS) California Kiwifruit webpage.

Authorized by the Agricultural Marketing Agreement Act of 1937, as amended, marketing orders are industry-driven programs that help producers and handlers achieve marketing success by leveraging their own funds to design and execute programs that they would not be able to do individually. AMS provides oversight to fruit, vegetable, and specialty crops marketing orders to ensure fiscal accountability and program integrity.

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