The U.S. Department of Agriculture today announced the appointment of eleven members to the Hass Avocado Board. Appointed are three producer members, three producer alternates, two importer members and two importer alternates to fill three-year terms expiring on October 31, 2026, and one vacant importer alternate seat to fill the remainder of the term which expires on October 31, 2024.
Members and alternates newly appointed to serve are:
- Doug J. O’Hara, Camarillo, California (Producer Member)
- Ben Van Der Kar, Carpinteria, California (Producer Alternate)
- Will Carleton, Carpinteria, California (Producer Member)
- Jeff Dickinson, Fallbrook, California (Producer Member)
- Elizabeth Flores, Fallbrook, California (Producer Alternate)
- Hillary DeCarl, Fallbrook, California (Producer Alternate)
- Gwendolyn Jackimek, Coral Gables, Florida (Importer Member)
- LeighAnne Thomsen, Santa Paula, California (Importer Member)
- Rigo Perez Jr., Oxnard, California (Importer Alternate)
- Elizabeth G. Ayala, Pharr, Texas (Importer Alternate)
Appointed member serving a vacant term, expiring October 31, 2024:
- David Billings, Capistrano Beach, California (Importer Alternate)
The Hass Avocado Board has 12 members, including seven producer members, two importer members, and three producer or importer members who serve in swing seats. Each member has an alternate.
More information about the board is available on the Agricultural Marketing Service (AMS) Hass Avocado Board webpage and on the board’s website hassavocadoboard.com.
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.
USDA is an equal opportunity provider, employer, and lender