Agriculture Secretary Vilsack Appoints Members to the Softwood Lumber Board

Date
Monday, November 9, 2015 - 2:30pm

Release No. 147-15

WASHINGTON, Nov. 9, 2015 -- Agriculture Secretary Tom Vilsack has appointed six members to serve on the Softwood Lumber Board.  Members will serve a 3-year term of office beginning Jan. 1, 2016.

New manufacturer Michael Case, Tuscaloosa, Ala., and re-appointed manufacturer Henry C. Scott, Barnwell, S.C., will represent the U.S. South.  Re-appointed manufacturers Marc Brinkmeyer, Sandpoint, Idaho, and Steven J. Zika, Portland, Ore., will represent the U.S. West.

Re-appointed importers include Duncan K. Davies, B.C. Canada, representing Canada West, and James Lopez, Ontario, Canada, representing Canada East.

USDA’s Agricultural Marketing Service (AMS) provides oversight of the Softwood Lumber Board in accordance with the Softwood Lumber Research, Promotion, Consumer Education and Industry Information Order.

The program is administered by board members who are selected by the U.S. Secretary of Agriculture.  USDA encourages board membership that reflects the diversity of the individuals served by the programs.  USDA encourages all eligible women, minorities, and persons with disabilities to seek nomination for a seat on the Softwood Lumber Board.

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, by establishing a framework for them to pool resources and combine efforts 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.

For more information about research and promotion programs, visit the AMS website.  For information on the board, please contact Maureen Pello by phone: (503) 632-8848, or by email:  maureen.pello@ams.usda.gov.  

Get the latest Agricultural Marketing Service news at www.ams.usda.gov/news or follow us on Twitter @USDA_AMS. You can also read about us on the USDA blog.

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