USDA Seeks Nominees for the Idaho Eastern-Oregon Potato Committee

Date
March 19, 2024

The U.S. Department of Agriculture (USDA) is seeking nominees for the Idaho Eastern-Oregon Potato Committee to fill three producer member seats, two handler member seats and five alternate member seats whose terms will begin May 1, 2024. The nomination meeting for all positions will be held on April 16, 2024, at 9 a.m. in Idaho Falls, Idaho.

Eligible producer nominees must be engaged in a proprietary capacity in the production of potatoes within the district for which selected. The appointed members will serve two-year terms.

For nomination and meeting information, contact the Idaho Eastern-Oregon Potato Committee Director Travis Blacker at (208) 360-9560 or by email at Travis.Blacker@potato.idaho.gov or USDA Marketing Specialist Greg Breasher at (503) 349-2997 or by email at Gregory.Breasher@USDA.gov.

The Idaho Eastern-Oregon Potato Committee administers the order locally and consists of five producer members and their alternates and three handler members and their alternates. More information about the committee is available on the Agricultural Marketing Service’s (AMS) Idaho Eastern-Oregon Potato  webpage.

Authorized by the Agricultural Marketing Agreement Act of 1937, marketing orders are industry-driven programs that help producers and handlers achieve marketing success by leveraging their own funds to design and execute programs that they would not be able to do individually.  AMS provides oversight to fruit, vegetable and specialty crops marketing orders and agreements to help 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