Release No. 210-14

Hakim Fobia (202) 690-0488

WASHINGTON, Oct. 27, 2014 -- Agriculture Secretary Tom Vilsack appointed five members and seven alternates to serve on the Hass Avocado Board. The appointees will serve 3-year terms beginning Nov. 1, 2014, and ending on Oct. 31, 2017, except for two alternate producer members whose terms will begin immediately. One alternate member will end their term on Oct. 31, 2015, and the other will end theirs on Oct. 31, 2016.

Producer members appointed for a 3-year term include: Bob Schaar of Fallbrook, Calif., incumbent; Thomas A. Escalante of Ventura, Calif.; and Laurie Luschei of Carpinteria, Calif.

Producer alternate members appointed for a 3-year term include: Michael Adams of Temecula, Calif.; Linda Mullins of Temecula, Calif.; Lyle Kafader of Fallbrook, Calif.

The producer alternate member appointed for a 2-year term is Custodio Aguilar of San Diego, Calif.

The producer alternate member appointed for a 1-year term is Jim Swoboda of Goleta, Calif.

Importer members appointed for a 3-year term include: Christopher Henry of Coral Gables, Fla., incumbent; and David Fausset of Oxnard, Calif.

Importer alternate members appointed for a 3-year term include: Jorge A. Hernandez of Pharr, Texas; and Gahl D. Crane of Vernon, Calif., incumbent.

USDA’s Agricultural Marketing Service (AMS) provides oversight of the Hass Avocado Board in accordance with the Hass Avocado Promotion, Research and Information Act of 2000 and the Hass Avocado Promotion, Research, and Information Order. Under the order, Hass avocado producers and importers pay an assessment rate of 2.5 cents per pound. 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 Avocado Board.

Research and promotion programs are industry funded, 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 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 ensures fiscal responsibility, program efficiency and fair treatment of participating stakeholders.

For more information about research and promotion programs, visit www.ams.usda.gov/FVPromotion. For more information on the Board, please contact Veronica Douglass by phone: (202) 720-9915, or e-mail: Veronica.Douglass@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.

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, D.C. 20250-9410 or call (866) 632-9992 (Toll-free Customer Service), (800) 877-8339 (Local or Federal relay), (866) 377-8642 (Relay voice user).