Release No.: 061-16
WASHINGTON, March 21, 2016 – The U.S. Department of Agriculture’s (USDA) Agricultural Marketing Service (AMS) is seeking nominations for the National Honey Board.
The National Honey Board is composed of 10 members, including three first handlers; two importers; one importer-handler; one marketing cooperative; and three producers, and their respective alternates.
The board is seeking to fill eight positions – one first handler, one importer, one producer, and one marketing cooperative and their respective alternates, to replace representatives whose terms expire Dec. 31, 2016.
In order to serve on the National Honey Board as an importer or first handler member or respective alternate, you must import or handle at least 250,000 pounds of honey annually. In order to serve as a producer member or alternate, you must produce a minimum of 150,000 pounds of honey in the United States annually based on the best three-year average of the most recent five calendar years.
In addition, all nominations to the National Honey Board must be made by qualified national organizations within the honey industry, meet the qualifications, and submit a completed application. Appointed members will serve on the board for three years.
Interested candidates should contact the National Honey Board for more information; either visit “About NHB” at www.honey.com, or contact the Board’s Chief Executive Officer Margaret Lombard at (303) 776-2337, or by email at Margaret@nhb.org. Inquiries must be made by June 1, 2016, deadline.
The USDA encourages board membership that reflects the diversity of the individuals served by the research and promotion programs. All eligible women, minorities, veterans and persons with disabilities are encouraged to seek nomination for a seat on the National Honey 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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