USDA Issues Secretary’s Decision and Referendum Order on Proposed Amendments to the California Raisins Marketing Order

The U.S. Department of Agriculture (USDA) will conduct a referendum from Jan. 12 -30, 2026, on proposed amendments to the federal marketing order for California raisins. The Raisin Administrative Committee administers the marketing order which authorizes quality regulations and research and promotion programs regulating the handling of raisins produced from grapes grown in California.

The committee recommended four proposals for consideration:

• Proposal 1: Reduce committee size from 47 to 21 members and alternates, remove producer district representation and add a non-affiliated producer member seat, eliminate the designated cooperative bargaining association member seat, and lower quorum requirements from 25 to 14.
• Proposal 2: Remove the requirement for separate nominations for independent producers.
• Proposal 3: Remove factor four and part of factor five for establishing marketing policy and add language to clarify the quality of reconditioned raisins.
• Proposal 4: Add authority to accept voluntary contributions and add language regarding ownership of intellectual property.
• USDA proposed one conforming change necessary to effectuate the proposed amendments to the marketing order.

The Secretary's Decision and Referendum Order on the proposed amendments is based on the hearing record, evidence presented at a public hearing conducted on Feb. 13-14, 2024, and the exceptions filed thereafter. The proposed amendments would become effective only if approved by two-thirds of the growers voting in the referendum, or by those representing at least two-thirds of the volume of raisins grown by those voting in the referendum.

USDA's Agricultural Marketing Service (AMS) will mail ballots and voting instructions to all raisin growers of record in California. To be eligible to vote, a grower must have grown raisins in California during the representative period of Aug. 1, 2024 through July 31, 2025.

Eligible growers who have not received a ballot by Jan. 19, 2026, may request one from USDA Marketing Specialist Peter Sommers at [email protected] or USDA Branch Chief Abigail Maharaj at [email protected] or (503) 326-2282.

Notice of the Secretary's Decision and Referendum Orderwas published in the Federal Register on Dec. 11, 2025. Copies of the Federal Register notice may be requested from USDA Marketing Specialist Christy Pankey at [email protected] or USDA Branch ChiefMatthew Pavone at [email protected]or (202) 720-8085.

More information about the committee is available on the Agricultural Marketing Service (AMS) California Raisins page.

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