The U.S. Department of Agriculture (USDA) is seeking six nominees for the Hass Avocado Board. Seats open for nominees are two producer and one importer seat for members and two producer and one importer seat for alternates. USDA will appoint members and alternates to serve three-year terms beginning Nov. 1, 2022.
Nominations for these seats are due to the board by March 30, 2022. The board engages an independent certified public accounting firm to conduct an industry vote to choose nominees to be considered for appointment by USDA.
For nomination forms, visit the Hass Avocado Board website or contact Hass Avocado Board Emiliano Escobedo, Executive Director at (949) 341-3250 or ee@hassavocadoboard.com. You may also contact Sue Coleman, deputy director of marketing programs, USDA at (202) 378-2569 or Sue.Coleman@usda.gov.
The Hass Avocado Board is industry-funded and supports the national marketing and promotion of Hass avocados. The board is comprised of 12 members including seven producers and five importers. Each member has an alternate. More information about the board is available on the Agricultural Marketing Service (AMS) Hass Avocado Board webpage.
Since 1966, Congress has authorized the development of industry-funded research and promotion boards to provide a framework for agricultural industries to pool their resources and combine efforts to develop new markets, strengthen existing markets and conduct important research and promotion activities. AMS provides oversight of 22 boards, paid for by industry assessments, which helps ensure fiscal accountability and program integrity.
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.
