The U.S. Department of Agriculture (USDA) is seeking nominations for peanut producers and industry representatives to serve on the Peanut Standards Board.
The board consists of 18 members who represent peanut producers and industry representatives in three regions: Southeast (Alabama, Georgia and Florida), Southwest (Texas, Oklahoma and New Mexico) and Virginia/Carolina (Virginia, North Carolina and South Carolina). Each region has three producer and three industry representative seats with staggered three-year terms.
Agriculture Secretary Tom Vilsack will select individuals from the nominations submitted and appoint one producer and one industry representative from each region to succeed members whose terms expire on June 30, 2021.
Nominating forms and information about the board are available on the Agricultural Marketing Service (AMS) Peanut Standards Board Nominations webpage. More information is also available from Marketing Specialist Steven W. Kauffman at Steven.Kauffman@usda.gov or Regional Director Christian D. Nissen at Christian.Nissen@usda.gov or by contacting the Marketing Order and Agreement Division, Southeast Marketing Field Office at (863) 324-3375 or fax (863) 291-8614.
A notice of the request for nominations was published in the Federal Register on June 25, 2021.
AMS policy is that the diversity of the board should reflect the diversity of its industries in terms of the experience of members, methods of production and distribution, marketing strategies, and other distinguishing factors that will bring different perspectives and ideas to the table. When submitting nominations, the industry must consider the diversity of the population served and the knowledge, skills, and abilities of the members to serve a diverse population.
The 2002 Farm Bill established the board to consult with USDA regarding quality and handling standards for domestically produced and imported peanuts. The board plays a key role in representing the U.S. peanut industry on issues affecting quality and marketability.
USDA is an equal opportunity provider, employer, and lender