Today, the U.S. Department of Agriculture (USDA) announced the appointment of seven individuals to serve on the National Honey Board effective Jan. 1, 2025. Six of the appointees will serve three-year terms through Dec. 31, 2027, with one first handler alternate serving a one-year term through Dec. 31, 2025.
Newly appointed or reappointed members:
- Producer Member: Brock Ashurst, El Centro, Calif.
- Producer Alternate: George Hansen, Colton, Ore.
- First Handler Member: MindyRyan Tharp Gehring, Hillsboro, Kan.
- First Handler Alternate: Stacey Drab, Waxahachie, Texas
- First Handler Alternate (1-year): Jeff Caley, Lancaster, Pa.
- Importer Member: Sarah Neves, Tustin, Calif.
- Importer Alternate: Tom Sargeantson, New Canaan, Conn.
The 20-member National Honey Board is composed of three first handler representatives, three importer representatives, three producer representatives, one marketing cooperative representative and their alternates.
More information about the board is available on the Agricultural Marketing Service (AMS) National Honey Board webpage.
Since 1966, Congress has authorized the development of industry-funded research and promotion boards to provide a framework for agricultural industries to pool their resources and combine efforts to develop new markets, strengthen existing markets and conduct important research and promotion activities. AMS provides oversight of 22 boards, paid for by industry assessments, which helps ensure fiscal accountability and program integrity.
AMS policy is that diversity of the boards, councils and committees it oversees should reflect the diversity of their industries in terms of the experience of members, methods of production and distribution, marketing strategies and other distinguishing factors, including but not limited to individuals from historically underserved communities, that will bring different perspectives and ideas to the table. Throughout the full nomination process, the industry must conduct extensive outreach, paying particular attention to reaching underserved communities, and consider the diversity of the population served and the knowledge, skills and abilities of the members to serve a diverse population.
USDA is an equal opportunity provider, employer, and lender