Release No.: 015-16
WASHINGTON, Feb. 2, 2016 – The U.S. Department of Agriculture (USDA)’s Agricultural Marketing Service (AMS) is seeking nominees for the Paper and Packaging Board (Board). The 12-member board will hold elections to fill four seats for members whose terms will expire on Dec. 31, 2016. Each member will serve a 3-year term.
The Board consists of 11 manufacturers—including 10 members from four regions and one at-large member from any region—and one importer. From the four regions, six members are from the South, one member is from the Northeast, two members are from the Midwest, and one member is from the West. The at-large member must manufacture at least 100,000 short tons but no more than 250,000 short tons of paper and paper-based packaging annually.
Domestic manufacturers will fill three open seats from the South region and one at-large seat. To be eligible, nominees operating within the South region must manufacture 100,000 short tons or more of paper and paper-based packaging annually. The at-large member may be from any region and shall manufacture at least 100,000 short tons but not more than 250,000 short tons of paper and paper-based packaging annually.
The Board meets periodically to plan marketing and promotional activities that benefit the industry. The national program is industry-funded and has supported the national marketing and promotion of paper and paper-based packaging since 2014. USDA’s Agricultural Marketing Service (AMS) oversees board activities.
USDA encourages board membership that reflects the diversity of the individuals served by the research and promotion programs. All eligible women, minorities, and persons with disabilities are invited to seek nomination for a seat on the Board by April 15, 2016.
For more information or to receive a nomination form, contact Paul Kwak of the Paper and Packaging Board by calling (703) 997-8926 or via email at pkwak@paperandpackaging.org; or contact Marlene Betts, USDA Marketing Specialist, at (202) 720-9915 or via email at marlene.betts@ams.usda.gov for additional information.
Research and promotion programs are industry-funded, were authorized by Congress, and date back to 1966, when Congress passed the Cotton Research and Promotion Act. Since then, Congress has authorized the establishment of 22 research and promotion boards. They empower agricultural industries, including the forest products industry, to leverage their own resources to develop new markets, strengthen existing markets, and conduct important research and promotion activities. AMS provides oversight, paid for by industry assessments, which helps to ensure fiscal responsibility, program efficiency and fair treatment of participating stakeholders.
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