USDA Seeks Organizations to Nominate American Egg Board Nominees

Date
January 14, 2025

The U.S. Department of Agriculture’s (USDA) Agricultural Marketing Service (AMS) is accepting applications from organizations interested in nominating egg producers or representatives of a producer to the American Egg Board. Applications are due by February 13, 2025.

The American Egg Board is composed of 18 members and 18 alternate members. The Secretary of Agriculture appoints board members from nominations submitted by certificated organizations.

The primary considerations in determining the eligibility of an organization to submit nominations will be its number of egg producers and their commercial egg production volume in their geographic areas. In addition, the items below will be considered in making the final decision to approve an organization:

  • Geographic territory covered by the organization’s active membership.
  • Nature and size of the organization’s active membership.
  • Proportion of total of active membership accounted for by producers of commercial eggs.
  • A chart showing the egg production by state in which the organization has members and the volume of commercial eggs produced by the organization’s active members in such states.
  • The extent to which the commercial egg producer membership of such organization is represented in setting the organization’s policies.
  • Evidence of stability and permanency of the organization.
  • Sources from which the organization’s operating funds are derived.
  • Functions of the organization.
  • The organization’s ability and willingness to further the aims and objectives of the Egg Research and Consumer Information Act of 1974.

Any organization that wants to be certified to nominate members to the board must complete an Egg Certification Request Form (LP-4) found at https://www.ams.usda.gov/rules-regulations/research-promotion/eggs. After reviewing the application USDA will notify the organization whether it has been certified or not. Organizations currently certified to nominate board members do not need to reapply.

For additional information regarding the certification process, contact Michael Steiskal, Research and Promotion Division, at (515) 493-9742 or Michael.Steiskal@usda.gov

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