Procedure for referendum.

(1) With respect to any referendum conducted under the provisions of ss. 573.101-573.124, the department shall, before calling and announcing a referendum, fix, determine, and publicly announce, at least 15 days in advance of the date on which ballots and copies of the proposed order shall be mailed to all agricultural producers or handlers affected who are in the state and whose names and addresses are known, the date by which ballots must be returned to the department. Ballots and copies of the proposed order may be obtained from county agricultural agents’ offices in the marketing area by producers or handlers not receiving them by mail.

(2) It shall be the duty of the producers or handlers affected who vote in each referendum to send their marked ballots to the department, which shall have the ballots counted by qualified and impartial personnel in its office, and the department shall, within 10 days after the closing date for submitting ballots in any referendum, certify in writing and publish the results of such referendum on the front page of their website and shall send notice via e-mail to all publications of general circulation and all news departments of broadcast network affiliates located within the state.