The U.S. Department of Agriculture is seeking nominees to fill seats on the National Processed Raspberry Council for producer members, importer members, foreign producer members, public members and their alternates. Nominees will be selected by their peers for consideration by USDA to fill terms ending Dec. 31, 2018. Individuals selected will serve three-year terms that end Dec. 31, 2021.
The council is seeking nominees to fill seats for:
- Two producer members and their alternates from Washington to represent states producing a minimum of three million pounds of raspberries for processing
- One producer member and an alternate from California to represent states producing less than three million pounds of raspberries for processing
- One importer member and an alternate
- One foreign producer member and an alternate
- One public member and an alternate
The council is also looking to fill two vacant importer alternate seats. The terms for these positions end Dec. 31, 2019.
Nominations must be received by the council by June 15, 2018. Nomination applications are available at www.redrazz.org or by contacting National Processed Raspberry Council Executive Director Tom Krugman at (360) 354-0948 or tkrugman@redrazz.org. You may also contact USDA Marketing Specialist Hakim Fobia at (202) 720-4835 or hakim.fobia@ams.usda.gov.
The council is composed of 13 members including six producers from states producing a minimum of three million pounds of raspberries for processing, one producer from states producing less than three million pounds, three importers, two foreign producers, one public member, and their alternates.
The council meets twice each year. The next meeting is scheduled for April 11-13, 2018, in Lynden, Wash.
The National Processed Raspberry Council is industry-funded and supports the marketing and promotion of processed raspberries. Since 1966, Congress has authorized 22 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. The USDA Agricultural Marketing Service (AMS) provides oversight, paid for by industry assessments, which helps ensure fiscal accountability and program integrity.
USDA is an equal opportunity provider, employer, and lender.