AMS No. 174-13

Gwen Sparks, (202) 260-8210

gwen.sparks@ams.usda.gov

WASHINGTON, Nov. 20, 2013 – Agriculture Secretary Tom Vilsack has appointed seven members to serve on the National Mango Board.

Importers Kenneth Nabal of Idaho Falls, Idaho; Christopher A. Ciruli of Tubac, Ariz.; and Jiovani Guevara of Monterey, Calif.; along with foreign producers Jorge Eustacio Perez Calderon of Culiacan, Sinaloa, Mexico; Reynaldo Hilbck of Miraflores, Piura, Peru; and Altamir Guilherme Martins of Fortaleza, Ceara, Brazil, will serve three-year terms of office beginning Jan. 1, 2014.

Domestic producer Jean Sapp of Lehigh Acres, Fla., will complete a two-year term of office that begins immediately.

Research and promotion programs are industry-funded, authorized by Congress, and date back to 1966. Since then, Congress has authorized the establishment of 20 research and promotion boards. They empower farmers and ranchers to leverage their own resources to develop new markets, strengthen existing markets and conduct important research and promotion activities. The Agricultural Marketing Service (AMS) provides oversight, paid for by industry assessments, which ensures fiscal responsibility, program efficiency and fair treatment of participating stakeholders. For information on the National Mango Board, please contact Jeanette Palmer by phone at (888) 720-9917, or e-mail: Jeanette.Palmer@ams.usda.gov. Visit www.ams.usda.gov/FVPromotion to learn more about research and promotion programs.

#

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.

USDA is an equal opportunity provider and employer. To file a complaint of discrimination, write: USDA, Office of the Assistant Secretary for Civil Rights, Office of Adjudication, 1400 Independence Ave., SW, Washington, DC 20250-9410 or call (866) 632-9992 (Toll-free Customer Service), (800) 877-8339 (Local or Federal relay), (866) 377-8642 (Relay voice users).