The U.S. Department of Agriculture’s (USDA) Agricultural Marketing Service (AMS) is seeking nominees for the American Lamb Board. Nominations are due May 1, 2019.
Nominees are needed for the following positions:
- One producer with 100 or less lambs
- One producer with more than 500 lambs
- One feeder with any size operation (at large)
- One first handler
The 13-member American Lamb Board is industry-funded and supports the national marketing and promotion of sheep and sheep products.
Any U.S. producer, feeder or first handler who owns or purchases lambs may be considered for nomination. Nominees for producer and feeder positions can be from east or west of the Mississippi River.
The board is divided into two regions for the purpose of nominating and appointing producers to the board—the geographic area east of the Mississippi River (Region 1) and the geographic area west of the Mississippi River (Region 2). Each region must be represented by at least two producers.
The lamb order also states that two producers appointed to the board must own 100 or less head of lambs annually, one producer must own 101 to 500 head of lambs annually, and three producers must own more than 500 head of lambs annually. The three feeders must not all be in the same geographic region. In addition, at least one must feed less than 5,000 head of lambs annually, and at least one must feed more than 5,000 head of lambs annually.
This year’s vacancies include positions for two producers (one owning less than 100 head of lambs and one owning more than 500 head of lambs), one feeder (at large) and one first handler.
To satisfy the production criteria, one of the producer appointees selected must be from Region 1. The other producer appointee may be from either Region 1 or Region 2. The feeder appointee may be from either Region 1 or Region 2.
USDA selects members from producers, feeders and first handlers nominated by Certified Nominating Organizations (CNO). A list of CNOs and nomination forms are available on the American Lamb Board page on the AMS website.
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. The Agricultural Marketing Service (AMS) provides oversight of 22 boards, paid for by industry assessments, which helps ensure fiscal accountability and program integrity.
For more information, contact Barbara Josselyn at (202) 690-2611 or Barbara.Josselyn@usda.gov; or send mail to Research and Promotion Division; Livestock and Poultry Program; AMS, USDA, STOP 0251; 1400 Independence Avenue, SW.; Washington, D.C. 20250-0251.
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