The U.S. Department of Agriculture (USDA) is seeking nominations for the U.S. Highbush Blueberry Council to fill seats for nine members and nine alternates whose three-year terms will expire Dec. 31, 2027. Nominations are due to the council by March 18, 2024.
The council is seeking nominees for the following seats:
- One domestic producer member and alternate from each of the Western, Midwest, Northeast, and Southern regions.
- One importer member and alternate.
- One exporter and alternate who represents Chile.
- One exporter and alternate who represents Peru.
- One exporter and alternate who represents Mexico.
- One public member and alternate.
The U.S. Highbush Blueberry Council is industry-funded and supports the marketing and promotion of highbush blueberries. The council is composed of 21 members who represent the industry as follows: 12 producers, four importers, four foreign exporters, and one public member. Each member has an alternate.
Applications are available on the U.S. Highbush Blueberry Council at https://ushbc.blueberry.org/forms/ or you may request an application by email at elections@blueberry.org. You may also contact the U.S. Highbush Blueberry Council at (916) 983-0111 or Jeanette Palmer, marketing specialist, USDA at (202) 720-5976 or Jeanette.Palmer@usda.gov.
More information about the council is available on the AMS U.S. Highbush Blueberry Council 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.
USDA is an equal opportunity provider, employer, and lender