Sam Jones-Ellard (202) 720-2739Samuel.Jones@ams.usda.gov
WASHINGTON, Sept. 28, 2010 -- The U.S. Department of Agriculture is asking fluid milk processors and other interested parties to nominate candidates for the National Fluid Milk Processor Promotion Board.
The Secretary of Agriculture will appoint six individuals from those nominated to succeed members whose terms expire June 30, 2011. Appointed members will serve 3-year terms from July 1, 2011 through June 30, 2014.
“Appointees to the board fill important roles as representatives of the fluid milk industry and will have a large impact on the future promotion of fluid milk products,” said Administrator Rayne Pegg of AMS.
USDA will accept nominations for board representation in five geographic regions and one at-large position. Nominees for the five regional positions must be active owners or employees of a fluid milk processor. The one at-large position may be either a fluid milk processor or a member from the general public. The geographic regions are: Region 2 (New Jersey and New York); Region 5 (Florida); Region 8 (Illinois and Indiana); Region 11 (Arkansas, Iowa, Kansas, Missouri, Nebraska and Oklahoma); and Region 14 (Northern California). No fluid milk processor shall be represented on the board by more than three members.
The National Fluid Milk Processor Promotion Board was established by the Fluid Milk Promotion Act of 1990, as amended, to develop and administer a coordinated program of advertising and education to promote fluid milk products. Of the board's 20 members, 15 represent geographic regions and five are at-large members. The at-large members must include at least three fluid milk processors and one member from the general public. Currently, there are four at-large processor members and one member from the general public serving on the board.
The national fluid milk program is financed by a mandatory 20-cent per hundredweight assessment on fluid milk processors who process and market commercially in consumer-type packages more than 3 million pounds of fluid milk products per month in the contiguous 48 states and the District of Columbia, excluding those fluid milk products delivered directly to consumer residences.
USDA welcomes membership on industry boards that reflects the diversity of the individuals served by the programs. USDA encourages all eligible women, minorities and persons with disabilities to seek nomination for a seat on the National Fluid Milk Processor Promotion Board.
Fluid milk processors and interested parties may submit nominations for regions in which they are located or market fluid milk and for at-large members.
To nominate an individual, please submit a copy of the nomination form and a signed background form for each nominee by Oct. 31, 2010, to: Whitney Rick, Chief, Promotion and Research Branch, Dairy Programs, AMS, USDA, 1400 Independence Ave., S.W., Stop 0233, Room 2958-S, Washington, D.C. 20250-0233 or via email at whitney.rick@ams.usda.gov. Blank forms and additional information are available on the Dairy Promotion and Research Branch’s website at www.ams.usda.gov/Dairy.
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