The Sampson County Tobacco Research Referendum will be held on Thursday, Nov.19.
Della King, county extension agriculture agent, said four polling places have been established in the county.
The polling locations are as follows:
1. Sampson County Extension Center located at: 55 Agriculture Place, Clinton.
2. Crop Production Services of Salemburg located at: 402 W. College St, Salemburg.
3. Helena Chemical located at: 3260 McLamb Rd, Newton Grove.
4. Corner Cotton Gin located at: 151 Mingo Church Rd, Dunn.
King explained that the referendum is being held to let tobacco growers decide if they wish to continue the self-assessment program. This program has been in place since 1991, and the law requires that a new referendum be held every six years.
Atwo-thirds favorable vote will mean that growers are willing to continue to assess themselves to support tobacco research and education. The assessment is ten cents per hundred pounds of tobacco produced in North Carolina.
The funds, about $300,000 annually, are collected at buying stations by the North Carolina Department of Agriculture and Consumer Services, and then allocated by the Tobacco Research Commission to research and extension projects for tobacco at NC State University.
For more information on the referendum please call your County Extension Center at: 910-592-7161.