MONROE — A referendum on assessing North Carolina cattlemen an additional $1 per head for all cattle sold and marketed in the state will be held Tuesday. The Union County Cooperative Extension Center at the Agricultural Services Center will serve as the Union County polling place. Polls will be open from 8 a.m. until 5 p.m. The referendum would reinstate the original state assessment program which began in 1957. The reason for the state assessment is to be able to fund five areas identified by North Carolina cattlemen. Those are: youth programs, cattle production research, education, promotion of North Carolina cattle and beef and issues management. The national beef checkoff dollar cannot be spent on these areas. The state funds would be controlled totally by North Carolina beef and dairy producers. All cattle producers 18 years old as of Tuesday will be eligible to vote. Absentee ballots are available through the Union County Extension Center.