The McDowell County Nickels for Know-How Referendum will be held Thursday, November 17, 2022.

Molly Sandfoss, County Extension Director, said "We have established a polling place for the Nickels for Know-How referendum in McDowell County.  The polling location will be at the NCCE-McDowell Center, 2nd floor, County Services Building, 60 East Court Street, Marion."

The Nickels for Know-How referendum is being held to let users and producers of feed or fertilizer decide if they wish to continue the self-assessment program.  This program has been in place since 1948, and the law requires that a new referendum be held every six years.

A 2/3 favorable vote will mean that growers are willing to continue to assess themselves to support agricultural research and education.  The assessment is fifteen cents per hundred pounds on feed and fertilizer produced in North Carolina.

The funds, about $1.4 million annually, are collected by the NC Department of Agriculture and Consumer Services and then allocated by the NC Agricultural Foundation, Inc.'s 148 volunteer Board of Directors to support agricultural research and extension projects at NC State University benefitting agriculture in North Carolina.

For more information on the referendum, please call N.C. Cooperative Extension, McDowell County Center at 828-652-8104.