Release No.: 082-16
WASHINGTON, April 14, 2016 – The U.S. Department of Agriculture’s (USDA) Agricultural Marketing Service (AMS) is seeking nominations for the Christmas Tree Promotion Board. Selected representatives will serve three-year terms.
The board is composed of 12 members: 11 producers from the Western, Eastern, and Central regions of the United States and one importer. The nomination process for producer and importer members is conducted by the board. Nominees must have paid their assessments to the board in the most recent fiscal period, and produce or import more than 500 Christmas trees to be eligible to serve. The board will fill three open seats for producers – one producer from each of the growing regions. The appointees will replace producer members whose terms expire Dec. 31, 2016. Nominees must submit completed applications by June 1, 2016.
USDA encourages board membership that reflects the diversity of the individuals served by the research and promotion programs and encourages all that are eligible to seek nomination for a seat on the board.
The board meets regularly to plan promotion, marketing and research activities that benefit the industry. The program is industry-funded and supports the national marketing and promotion of fresh cut Christmas trees since 2014.
Research and promotion programs are industry-funded, were authorized by Congress and date back to 1966. Since then, Congress has authorized the establishment of 22 research and promotion boards. They empower agricultural industries by establishing a framework for them to pool resources and combine efforts to develop new markets, strengthen existing markets, and conduct important research and promotion activities. AMS provides oversight, helping to ensure fiscal responsibility, program efficiency and fair treatment of participating stakeholders.
For more information or a nomination form, please contact Tim O’Connor, Executive Director for Christmas trees, by phone at (303) 229-9198, or by email at: tim@christmastreepromotionboard.org
Visit the United States Christmas Tree Promotion Board’s website at www.christmastreepromotionboard.org for more information about the board.
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