Release No.: 005-16
WASHINGTON, Feb. 26, 2016 – The U.S. Department of Agriculture (USDA)’s Agricultural Marketing Service (AMS) is seeking nominations for the National Peanut Board. Applications are due by May 2, 2016.
The board is composed of 12 producer members and their alternates: one member and alternate from each primary peanut-producing state (Alabama, Arkansas, Florida, Georgia, Mississippi, New Mexico, North Carolina, Oklahoma, South Carolina, Texas and Virginia), and one at-large member and alternate collectively from the minor peanut-producing states. The members and alternates are nominated by producers or producer groups within their respective states.
Selected individuals would replace one producer member and alternate for the states of Arkansas, New Mexico, and Oklahoma whose terms expire Dec. 31, 2016. Each member and alternate will serve a three-year term.
The peanut nomination meetings for the states are listed below:
Arkansas
Tues., March 8, 2016 at 7 p.m.
Walnut Ridge Country Club
249 Lawrence Road 408, Walnut Ridge, Ark. 72476
New Mexico
Tues., March 1, 2016 from 9 to 2 p.m.
Mark’s Grill Restaurant
1126 W 1st Street, Portales, N.M. 88130
Oklahoma
Thurs., March 24, 2016 at 12 p.m.
Western Oklahoma State College
2801 North Main, Altus, Okla. 73521
The nominating election meeting will be held during Oklahoma Peanut EXPO.
For additional information concerning nomination meetings and the application process, contact the board’s Vice President of Finance and Compliance Maria Mehok, by calling: (678) 424-5750, or by e-mailing: mymehok@nationalpeanutboard.org. For more information, visit the board’s website at www.nationalpeanutboard.org.
USDA encourages board membership that reflects the diversity of the individuals served by the program. All eligible women, minorities and persons with disabilities are invited to seek nomination for a seat on the board.
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.
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