BURLEY: YOUR VOICE MATTERS
What You Need to Know |
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WHAT YOU NEED TO DO
Burley Tobacco Co-Op Members recently received several mailings regarding hundreds of tobacco farmers’ efforts to dissolve the Burley Co-Op and to distribute all of its assets back to the farmers. On Monday, February 10, Billings Law Firm, on behalf of its clients and the 250+ farmers who signed the petition, exercised the farmers’ rights under Kentucky law and issued the Notice of Meeting, Proxy Ballot and Resolution and Plan of Dissolution to the approximately 640 current members of the Co-Op.
However, the Co-Op said it would not send notice out regarding the meeting until mid-March. Such a delay by the Co-Op is clearly intended to make it difficult, if not impossible, for many members to learn about the proposal or to make arrangements to vote. The Co-Op has now also put out a competing plan to distribute only part of the assets, and to spend or keep for itself more than $7 million. It is clear that the Co-Ops’ Directors and Officers do not want you, the Grower Members, to be adequately informed or to have adequate time to vote on dissolution.
To dissolve the Co-Op, 2/3rd of the entire Membership must vote “FOR” dissolution. THEREFORE, IF YOU ARE IN FAVOR OF DISSOLUTION AND DISTRIBUTION OF THE ENTIRE $33 MILLION, PLEASE PRINT AND RETURN THE PROXY BALLOT IMMEDIATELY.
Click HERE to open and print the Proxy Ballot. Please print your name, sign, date, and return the Proxy Ballot by no later than APRIL 3, 2020 to:
However, the Co-Op said it would not send notice out regarding the meeting until mid-March. Such a delay by the Co-Op is clearly intended to make it difficult, if not impossible, for many members to learn about the proposal or to make arrangements to vote. The Co-Op has now also put out a competing plan to distribute only part of the assets, and to spend or keep for itself more than $7 million. It is clear that the Co-Ops’ Directors and Officers do not want you, the Grower Members, to be adequately informed or to have adequate time to vote on dissolution.
To dissolve the Co-Op, 2/3rd of the entire Membership must vote “FOR” dissolution. THEREFORE, IF YOU ARE IN FAVOR OF DISSOLUTION AND DISTRIBUTION OF THE ENTIRE $33 MILLION, PLEASE PRINT AND RETURN THE PROXY BALLOT IMMEDIATELY.
Click HERE to open and print the Proxy Ballot. Please print your name, sign, date, and return the Proxy Ballot by no later than APRIL 3, 2020 to:
Cloyd and Associates
C/O Emma Underwood
2410 Greatstone Point
Lexington, KY 40504
*Cloyd and Associates is an independent third party who will be receiving and tabulating all proxy ballots.
C/O Emma Underwood
2410 Greatstone Point
Lexington, KY 40504
*Cloyd and Associates is an independent third party who will be receiving and tabulating all proxy ballots.
The Special Meeting will be held at 10:00 am on Wednesday, April 8, 2020, at the Campbell House* at 1375 S. Broadway, Lexington, Ky.
- Click HERE to view The Notice of Meeting
- Click HERE to open and print the Proxy Ballot
- Click HERE to view the Farmers' Plan of Distribution
- Click HERE for a chart explaining the differences between the Farmers' Plan of Dissolution
and Distribution vs. the Board’s Plan of only a partial disbursement
- Click HERE for the 2018 KCARD Report on the Co-Op's operations and finance
- Click HERE for the lawsuit filed by Haynes Growers, and others, against the Burley Co-Op
If you have any questions regarding completing or returning the “Proxy Ballot”, do not hesitate to call 859.225.5240, or email Amy Duncan.
You can also access these documents on a public Google drive folder by clicking here.
You can also access these documents on a public Google drive folder by clicking here.
