Source: NCDA&CS, 3/2/15

The N.C. Board of Agriculture will meet by conference call March 4 at 1 p.m. to consider a referendum request from the N.C. Blueberry Council.

The meeting is open to the public. Interested individuals can listen to the meeting by coming to the Hall of Fame Room at the Agriculture Building, 2 W. Edenton St.

The Blueberry Council is requesting board approval to conduct a referendum among commercial blueberry growers in 12 counties. Growers would vote on whether to assess themselves to support research and education about blueberries.

The assessment rate would be 5.4 cents per 9 pounds of fresh blueberries sold and 2.7 cents per 9 pounds of blueberries for processing. The assessment would be in effect for crop years 2015 through 2020.

The referendum would cover Bladen, Brunswick, Columbus, Craven, Cumberland, Duplin, Jones, New Hanover, Onslow, Pender, Robeson and Sampson counties.

Any grower who produces fewer than 10,000 pounds of blueberries that are sold locally would be exempt from the assessment.