The California Department of Food and Agriculture (Department) recently conducted a referendum among California Market Milk Producers to consider whether the Quota Implementation Plan (QIP) should be terminated. The deadline to vote in the referendum was September 10, 2025.
On September 9, 2025, prior to the end of the voting period for the referendum, over 50 ballots were hand-delivered to the Department by a third party. Visual inspection upon receipt confirmed that the ballots had been removed from their sealed envelopes. Due to these unusual circumstances, the Department has decided to reissue the affected ballots and grant a special extension to vote to the producers whose ballots were received open. These new ballots are going out in the mail today; only properly completed and signed ballots, postmarked or otherwise received by the Department in a sealed envelope no later than October 24, 2025, will be counted.
The Department will announce and notify all California Market Milk producers of the referendum results following tabulation of the ballots. Tabulation of ballots will not begin until the special extension period for receiving ballots has concluded.
A copy of the notice to industry regarding the “Petition to Terminate the QIP #5” resubmitted by StopQIP on August 6, 2024 can be viewed here: https://www.cdfa.ca.gov/dairy/pdf/notices/2025_QIP_Petition_for_Referendum_Notice.p
df.
The current QIP can be viewed here: https://www.cdfa.ca.gov/dairy/pdf/QuotaImplementationPlan.pdf.
If you have any questions regarding the referendum, please contact the Quota Administration Program at pooling@cdfa.ca.gov or (916) 900-5012.
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