USDA Appoints National Sheep Industry Improvement Center Board of Directors

Date
Wednesday, October 28, 2015 - 4:00pm

Release No.: 143-15   

WASHINGTON, Oct. 28, 2015 –Agriculture Secretary Tom Vilsack today appointed three members to the National Sheep Industry Improvement Center Board of Directors.  Two members will serve 3-year terms and one member will serve a 2-year term beginning January 2016.

Appointed to the board representing sheep and goat producers are Janet B. Mawhinney, Waynesburg, Pa., and Marsha Ann Spykerman, Sibley, Iowa.  Appointed to the board representing expertise in finance and management is Glen Fisher, Sonora, Texas.

The Sheep Center was established as part of the 2008 Farm Bill and is designed to improve the competitiveness of the U.S. sheep and goat industries.

The board is composed of seven voting members and two non-voting members.  Voting members of the board include four members who are active producers of sheep or goats in the United States, two members that have expertise in finance and management, and one member that has expertise in lamb, wool, goat, or goat product marketing.  Non-voting members include the U.S. Department of Agriculture’s (USDA) Under Secretary of Agriculture for Marketing and Regulatory Programs, and the Under Secretary for Research, Education, and Economics. 

USDA's Agricultural Marketing Service provides oversight of the center.

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