Release No. 045-14

Contact:

Hakim Fobia (202) 690-0488

WASHINGTON, Feb. 13, 2014 -- The U.S. Department of Agriculture (USDA) is seeking nominations for the United States Potato Board. The board is composed of producers, importers and a public member, with approximately one-third of the board appointed each year.

Prospective nominees must submit completed applications by July 1, 2014. Appointees will serve a three-year term. Nominations for producer members are submitted by potato producers in various states. Importers nominate importer members while the board nominates the public member. Producer members must produce five or more acres of potatoes to be eligible to serve. The appointees will replace members whose terms expire Feb. 28, 2015, as well as fill currently vacant seats.

Currently, the board is looking to fill 58 open seats for producers and importers from the following states: Alabama, Alaska, Arizona, Arkansas, Colorado, Connecticut, Delaware, Georgia, Hawaii, Idaho, Indiana, Iowa, Kansas, Kentucky, Louisiana, Maryland, Michigan, Minnesota, Mississippi, Nebraska, Nevada, New Hampshire, New Jersey, New York, North Carolina, North Dakota, Ohio, Oklahoma, Oregon, Rhode Island, South Carolina, Tennessee, Utah, Vermont, Virginia, Washington, and Wisconsin.

The board meets regularly to plan promotion, marketing and research activities that benefit the industry. The national program, which became effective in 1971, supports domestic and international marketing and promotion of potatoes.

USDA encourages board membership that reflects the diversity of the individuals served by the research and promotion program. All eligible women, minorities and persons with disabilities are encouraged to seek nomination for a seat on the United States Potato Board.

For more information or a nomination form, please contact Alexandra Imhof, United States Potato Board Industry Communications and Policy Manager, by phone at (303) 369-7783, or by email at: agrimm@uspotatoes.com. You can also contact Patricia Petrella, AMS Fruit and Vegetable Program Marketing Specialist at (301) 334-2891 or patricia.petrella@ams.usda.gov.

Visit the United States Potato Board’s website at www.uspotatoes.com for more information about the board.

Research and promotion programs are industry-funded, were authorized by Congress and date back to 1966. Since then, Congress has authorized the establishment of 21 research and promotion boards. They empower agricultural industries 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. The Agricultural Marketing Service (AMS) provides oversight, helping to ensure fiscal responsibility, program efficiency and fair treatment of participating stakeholders.

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).