Onions Grown in South Texas; Temporary Suspension of Continuance Referendum
Key claim: The USDA Agricultural Marketing Service is temporarily suspending the 2026 continuance referendum for the South Texas onion marketing order to allow an ongoing formal rulemaking amendment process to take precedence.
Abstract
(Rule · Agriculture Department, Agricultural Marketing Service) This interim final rule temporarily suspends the continuance referendum requirement under the Federal marketing order for South Texas onions. The continuance referendum scheduled for 2026 overlaps with the formal rulemaking process to amend the marketing order that the Agricultural Marketing Service (AMS) commenced via a notice of hearing published on January 23, 2026. This suspension delays the enforcement of the continuance referendum requirement to give precedence to the formal rulemaking process, which may include a producer referendum. In addition, if the marketing order is amended, this temporary suspension provides industry time to operate under the amended marketing order before the next scheduled continuance referendum.
Why this matters
The USDA Agricultural Marketing Service is temporarily suspending the 2026 continuance referendum for the South Texas onion marketing order to allow an ongoing formal rulemaking amendment process to take precedence.