Release No.: 082-14

Contact:

Sam Jones-Ellard (202) 660-2268

samuel.jones@ams.usda.gov

WASHINGTON, March 21, 2014 – The U.S. Department of Agriculture (USDA) is seeking nominations for individuals to serve on the National Sheep Industry Improvement Center Board of Directors.

There are three vacant positions for the 2015 board. There are two vacancies for sheep or goat producers and one vacancy for a person with expertise in marketing.

Any sheep or goat producer within the United States may be nominated for the producer member positions and anyone with expertise in finance and management may be nominated for the other position. Nominations are due by June 1, 2014, and must be submitted by a USDA Certified National sheep and goat industry organization. All applicable forms must be completed in their entirety and can be found at www.ams.usda.gov/NSIIC.

USDA encourages board membership that reflects the diversity of the individuals served by its industry. Diversity includes gender, race, disability, length of service, and size and type of operation.

The board is comprised of seven voting members and two non-voting members. Voting members include four active producers of sheep or goats in the United States; two members with expertise in finance and management; and one member with expertise in lamb, wool, goat, or goat product marketing. Non-voting members include USDA’s Under Secretary for Marketing and Regulatory Programs and the Under Secretary for Research, Education, and Economics.

The Secretary of Agriculture selects appointees nominated by any national organization whose membership consists primarily of active sheep or goat producers in the United States; and the primary interest of the organization is the production of sheep or goats in the United States.

The Sheep Center was established as part of the 2008 Farm Bill and its board administers a grant program designed to improve the competitiveness of the U.S. sheep and goat industries.

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