WASHINGTON — The U.S. Department of Agriculture is asking fluid milk processors and other interested parties to nominate candidates for the National Fluid Milk Processor Promotion Board.
The Secretary of Agriculture will appoint seven individuals from those nominated to succeed members whose terms expire on June 30, 2015. These appointed members will serve 3-year terms from July 1, 2015, through June 30, 2018. The Secretary will also appoint one individual to fill a vacancy in Region 8 (Illinois and Indiana), who will serve the remainder of a term that will expire on June 30, 2017.
USDA will accept nominations for board representation in six geographic regions, as well as two at-large positions. Nominees for the six regional positions must be active owners or employees of a fluid milk processor. At least one at-large position must be from the general public. The other at-large position may be either a fluid milk processor or a member of the general public. The geographic regions with vacancies for 3-year terms are: Region 3 (Delaware, District of Columbia, Maryland, Pennsylvania and Virginia); Region 6 (Ohio and West Virginia); Region 9 (Alabama, Kentucky, Louisiana, Mississippi and Tennessee); Region 12 (Arizona, Colorado, New Mexico, Nevada and Utah); Region 15 (Southern California). Region 8 (Illinois and Indiana) has a vacancy for a 2-year term.
The Fluid Milk Promotion Act of 1990, as amended, established the National Fluid Milk Processor Promotion Board to develop and administer a coordinated program of advertising and education to promote fluid milk products. Of the board’s 20 members, 15 represent geographic regions and 5 are at-large members. The at-large members must include at least three fluid milk processors and at least one member from the general public. Currently, four at-large processor members and one member from the general public serve on the board.
The national fluid milk program is financed by a mandatory 20-cent per hundredweight assessment on fluid milk processors who process and market commercially in consumer-type packages more than 3 million pounds of fluid milk products per month in the contiguous 48 states and the District of Columbia, excluding fluid milk products delivered directly to consumer homes.
USDA welcomes membership on industry boards that reflects the diversity of the individuals served by the programs. USDA encourages all eligible women, minorities and persons with disabilities to seek nomination for a seat on the National Fluid Milk Processor Promotion Board. Our factsheet “Shape the Future of Agriculture” describes the responsibilities and benefits of serving on a research and promotion board.
Fluid milk processors and interested parties may submit nominations for regions in which they are located or market fluid milk, and for at-large members. To nominate an individual, please submit a copy of the nomination form and a signed background form for each nominee by December 26 to: Emily DeBord, Promotion, Research, and Planning Division, Dairy Program, AMS, USDA, 1400 Independence Ave., S.W., Stop 0233, Room 2958-S, Washington, D.C. 20250-0233, or via email at emily.debord@ams.usda.gov. To obtain forms or additional information, call (202) 720-5567. Blank forms are available on the Dairy Promotion, Research and Planning Division’s website at http://www.ams.usda.gov/Dairy.
Source: U.S. Department of Agriculture
