Referendum

1. At a time designated by the council within eighteen months after the termination of the collection of assessments under the Pork Promotion Act, the secretary shall conduct an initial referendum under administrative procedures prescribed by the department of agriculture and land stewardship. 2. Upon signing a statement certifying to the secretary that the person is a bona fide producer as defined in this chapter, each producer is entitled to one vote in each referendum. The secretary shall determine the qualification of producers under this section. 3. The secretary shall count and tabulate the ballots filed during the referendum within thirty days of the close of the referendum. If from the tabulation the secretary determines that a majority of the total number of producers voting in the referendum favors the assessment, the assessment provided for in the referendum shall be levied. The ballots cast pursuant to this section constitute complete and conclusive evidence for use in determinations made by the secretary under this chapter. 4. The secretary shall hold subsequent referendums on request of ten percent or more of the number of producers eligible to vote, to determine whether the producers favor the termination or suspension of the assessment. The secretary shall suspend or terminate collection of the assessment within six months after the secretary determines that suspension or termination of the assessment is favored by a majority of the producers voting in the referendum, and shall terminate the assessment in an orderly manner as soon as practicable after the determination.