The U.S. Department of Agriculture (USDA) is seeking nominees for six seats on the Christmas Tree Promotion Board. The Secretary of Agriculture will appoint six individuals to serve terms beginning Jan. 1, 2024. Nominations are due to the board by June 1.
Eligible nominees must have produced domestically or imported more than 500 Christmas trees during the fiscal period of August 1 – July 31, 2022.
The Christmas Tree Promotion Board is seeking nominees for the following seats:
- One Region #1 – Western Region Producer (Two-year term expiring Dec. 31, 2025)
- One Region #1 – Western Region Producer (Three-year term expiring Dec. 31, 2026)
- One Region #2 – Central Region Producer (Three-year term expiring Dec. 31, 2026)
- Two Region #3 – Eastern Region Producers (Three-year terms expiring Dec. 31, 2026)
- One Importer (One-year term expiring Dec. 31, 2024)
Terms for the Importer seat and the Region #1 Western Region Producer seat were adjusted to ensure only one-third of the terms expire each year. All future terms will be three-years.
Election and nomination details can be found on the board’s website at www.realchristmastreeboard.org or by contacting the board’s Executive Director Marsha Gray at 517-242-1630 or by email at mjgray1@charter.net.
The board is made up of 12 industry members including eleven producers and one importer. More information about the board is available on the AMS Christmas Tree Promotion Board webpage. You may also contact USDA Marketing Specialist George Webster, at (202) 365-4172 or by email at George.Webster@usda.gov.
AMS policy is that diversity of the boards, councils and committees it oversees should reflect the diversity of their industries in terms of the experience of members, methods of production and distribution, marketing strategies, and other distinguishing factors, including but not limited to individuals from historically underserved communities, that will bring different perspectives and ideas to the table. Throughout the full nomination process, the industry must conduct extensive outreach, paying particular attention to reaching underserved communities, and consider the diversity of the population served and the knowledge, skills, and abilities of the members to serve a diverse population.
Since 1966, Congress has authorized industry-funded research and promotion boards to provide a framework for agricultural industries to pool resources and combine efforts to develop new markets, strengthen existing markets and conduct important research and promotion activities. AMS provides oversight to 22 boards. The oversight ensures fiscal accountability and program integrity and is paid for by industry assessments.
