Promotions Update: March 2021

USDA Amends California Walnut Marketing Order

The U.S. Department of Agriculture (USDA) announced on February 12, 2021, amendments to the federal marketing order regulating the handling of walnuts grown in California. These amendments authorize the California Walnut Board to provide credit for market promotion expenses paid by handlers against their annual assessments due under the program. The amendments were approved in a referendum conducted November 30 through December 11, 2020. They were favored by 80.57% of the growers voting, representing 82.81% of the total volume of walnuts. To gain approval, the amendments needed support of at least two-thirds of the growers voting in the referendum or at least two-thirds of the volume of walnuts grown by those voting in the referendum. A final rule amending the marketing order will be published in the Federal Register.
 
As per the California Walnut Board, this authority will allow handlers to receive a credit-back for eligible marketing expenditures of 70 cents for every dollar spent.
 
More details can be found here.