WASHINGTON, May 17, 2018 -- Agriculture Secretary Sonny Perdue today announced the appointment of three producers and three industry representatives to serve on the Peanut Standards Board. All appointees will serve the remainder of three-year terms ending June 30, 2020.
Appointed are:
- Southeast Region (Alabama, Georgia and Florida)
- Martin L. McLendon, Leary, Ga. (Producer)
- Elizabeth Kaye Smith, Golden Peanut Company LLC, Alpharetta, Ga. (Industry representative)
- Southwest Region (Texas, Oklahoma and New Mexico)
- James Richard Chandler, Portales, N.M. (Producer)
- John Edward Bennett, Mars Chocolate, Waco, Texas (Industry representative)
- Virginia/Carolina Region
- James Wilson Mason, Harrellsville, N.C. (Producer)
- Kathryn Olivia Swinson, Golden Grove Inc., Warsaw, N.C. (Industry representative)
“The Peanut Standards Board was established to help USDA manage quality and handling standards for an industry that produces more than $1billion worth of peanuts each year with a supply chain that impacts jobs on and off the farm,” said Perdue. “These appointees bring experience that will serve this industry well.”
The 18-member board was authorized under the Farm Security and Rural Investment Act of 2002. One-third of the board members are appointed each year. More information about the board and USDA’s partnership with the peanut industry is available on the USDA’s Agricultural Marketing Service’s (AMS) Peanut Standards Board page or by contacting the AMS Marketing Order and Agreement Division at (863) 324-3375.
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