DOBSON — The Tobacco Associates Export Promotion Referendum will be conducted by the North Carolina Cooperative Extension Service on Jan. 23 at polling places in each flue-cured producing county.

In Surry County, the polling place will be at the Surry County Cooperative Extension office, 210 N. Main St., Dobson.

A two-thirds favorable vote will allow the continuation of an assessment not to exceed one-fifth of one cent per pound to fund export promotion and expansion programs for the next three marketing years.

The export promotion programs of Tobacco Associations serve as the only independent voice promoting U.S. tobacco abroad. Regardless of tobacco contract origin, more than 60 percent of market demand for U.S. flue-cured is from a foreign buyer.

With domestic and traditional markets continuing to decline, developing new export customers and encouraging the use of U.S. leaf by traditional customers is more critical now than ever. Recent projects have developed new customers for U.S. flue-cured in Hungary, Indonesia, Vietnam and the Philippines.

All flue-cured tobacco growers are eligible to vote.