WASHINGTON — The U.S. Department of Agriculture (USDA) is seeking nominations for the Hass Avocado Board to fill five seats for members and five seats for alternates whose terms expire on October 31, 2017. The deadline for nominations is March 29, 2017.
The board is composed of 12 members and 12 alternates. Domestic producers of Hass avocados will fill three member seats and three alternate member seats. Hass avocado importers will fill two member seats and two alternate member seats.
Ballots will be mailed to all eligible domestic producers and importers of Hass avocados, who will select candidates for the producer and importer seats, respectively. Votes will be tabulated for the producer and importer seats and the top candidates will be submitted to the Secretary of Agriculture. Two candidates will be provided for each available seat. The Secretary will then appoint members from the candidates receiving the most votes.
For nomination forms and more information, visit the Hass Avocado Board page under the topic Research & Promotion Programs under the Rules & Regulations tab on USDA’s Agricultural Marketing Service (AMS) website or contact Sue Coleman at (503) 633-4330 or email Sue.Coleman@ams.usda.gov.
Since 1966, Congress has authorized the establishment of 22 research and promotion boards that are industry-funded and empower agricultural industries with a framework to pool resources and combine efforts to develop new markets, strengthen existing markets, and conduct important research and promotion activities. The Agricultural Marketing Service provides oversight, paid for by industry assessments, which helps ensure fiscal responsibility, program efficiency and fair treatment of participating stakeholders.
Source: USDA Agricultural Marketing Service (AMS)
