The Prince Edward Island Marketing Council announced today that it will be conducting a mail-in ballot plebiscite among registered cattle producers during the month of April to determine the level of support for a cattle commodity board.
“The first step in the plebiscite process will be the creation of a register of cattle producers by Marketing Council,” said Allison Ellis, chair of the Council. “The register will identify the producers who will be eligible to vote on a marketing plan being developed by the Prince Edward Island Cattlemen’s Association.”
Within the next week, the Marketing Council will publish at least one notice in the daily and weekly newspapers outlining the registration eligibility criteria, the application process and deadlines.
Mr. Ellis said that the Cattlemen’s Association is in the final stages of drafting a marketing plan that Council has agreed to circulate to all registered cattle producers in April, along with a mail-in ballot.
“I understand that the Cattlemen’s Association plans to mail a draft copy of its proposed marketing plan to each producer on its mailing list, and to make copies of the draft plan available at the District Agricultural offices, and the Cattlemen’s Association office prior to public meetings which the Association plans to hold around the middle of March,” said Mr. Ellis. “Public meetings will give all cattle producers an opportunity to discuss and have input into the draft plan prior to Council conducting the plebiscite.”
If producers voting in the plebiscite express strong support for the plan, it will be presented to Council. If Council approves the Plan, it will be recommended to the Lieutenant Governor in Council. The Lieutenant Governor in Council will make the final decision on whether a cattle commodity board is formed.
Mr. Ellis explained that in 1991 the Cattlemen’s Association was named a commodity group by the Minister of Agriculture under Part III of the Natural Products Marketing Act. As a commodity group the organization has very limited powers, particularly with respect to the imposition of non-refundable levies on producers. Establishment of a commodity board will give cattle producers more and broader powers to regulate and control their industry, including the power to impose mandatory, non-refundable, levies.