Gwen Sparks, (202) 260-8210gwen.sparks@ams.usda.gov
WASHINGTON, Dec. 19, 2011 – U.S. Department of Agriculture Secretary Tom Vilsack has appointed 14 members to serve on the National Watermelon Promotion Board. Representatives serve a three-year term of office beginning Jan. 1, 2012.
Members reappointed to represent domestic producers and handlers include producer Jim Barfield of Immokalee, Fla.; handlers Jean Marinaro of Vero Beach, Fla., and Steve Nichols of Lakeland, Fla. Importers Jeffrey D. Fawcett of McAllen, Texas; Jimmy Henderson of Edinburg, Texas; Barbara Murillo of Nogales, Ariz.; and Avi Nir of Parkland, Fla. have also been reappointed.
Newly appointed members include producer Brenda Ann Baker-Mack of Lake Wales, Fla.; public member Richard De Los Santos of Austin, Texas; and importer members Raul Paez of Nogales, Ariz.; Alex Lopez of Nogales, Ariz.; Gabriel Hinojosa of Mission, Texas; and John C. Gee of Temecula, Calif.
Newly appointed handler member for district three, Brian Arrigo of Estero, Fla., will serve a term of office that begins immediately and ends Dec. 31, 2012.
“These appointees represent a cross-section of the industry, and bring a wealth of diverse perspectives and backgrounds to the board,” said Vilsack. “I am confident that producers, handlers, importers and others in the watermelon industry will be well served by them.”
USDA’s Agricultural Marketing Service (AMS) provides oversight of the board in accordance with the Watermelon Research and Promotion Act. Industry producers and handlers each pay 3 cents per hundredweight on domestic watermelons, and importers pay 6 cents per hundredweight. The board administers an industry-funded national research and promotion program to maintain and expand markets for watermelon.
Research and promotion programs are industry-driven and funded programs administered by board members selected by the Secretary of Agriculture. This allows commodity groups to conduct promotion, market and production research and new product development for the benefit of their industries. AMS monitors board operations. Visit www.ams.usda.gov/FVPromotion for more information about research and promotion programs.
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