(Folsom, California.) – Members of the highbush (cultivated) blueberry industry are now seeking nominees to fill U.S. Highbush Blueberry Council (USHBC) state member and alternate positions for the 2023 to 2025 term. The nomination period will begin on March 28, 2022. Eight USHBC state member and alternate seats need to be filled for the term of office beginning January 1, 2023. Eligible producer nominees are those who produced 2,000 pounds or more of highbush blueberries in the United States from January 1, 2021, to December 31, 2021.
Nominations for seven state positions representing Oregon, Georgia, New Jersey, Washington, North Carolina, Michigan and California will be completed by their respective state blueberry councils and commissions.
Nominations are to be received directly from growers in Florida. Potential nominees are required to complete a USHBC nomination application and forward their application to the USHBC office no later than April 29, 2022. Nomination applications will be mailed directly to Florida growers. Applications are also available online at ushbc.blueberry.org/forms/, or can be requested by contacting the USHBC office by phone at (916) 983-0111 or by fax at (916) 983-9022. Once the nomination period is closed, a ballot will be prepared listing all nominees. Ballots will then be mailed to growers in Florida on June 10, 2022. The voting period will be open for 35 days, closing July 15, 2022. Those receiving the most votes for each producer seat will be recommended to the U.S. Secretary of Agriculture as council members. Those who earn the second most votes for each position will be recommended as alternates. The names of those who receive the third and fourth most votes will be sent on to the secretary for consideration.
