Wisconsin tart cherry growers have voted to reduce the size of their industry’s marketing order board from seven to five members. The proposed rule change also would eliminate voting districts in cherry industry elections.
Eighteen cherry growers voted in favor of amending the board’s Legislative rule to reduce the size of the board; one voted against it.
On the current seven-member board structure, three members represent each of the state’s two cherry-growing districts. The seventh board member represents the industry at-large. If the rule change is approved, the board’s five members would be elected at-large.
The Wisconsin Department of Agriculture, Trade and Consumer Protection (DATCP) will now forward the referendum results to Gov. Scott Walker’s office for his written approval and then to the Legislature for review by the appropriate committees. If the Legislature takes no action to stop the rule, Secretary Ben Brancel will sign the rule and publish it.
DATCP administers elections for the cherry board and other commodity market orders in Wisconsin. To learn more about marketing orders, visit datcp.wi.gov/About/Boards_and_Councils.
