The information below has been supplied by dairy marketers and other industry organizations. It has not been edited, verified or endorsed by Hoard’s Dairyman.

The U.S. Department of Agriculture (USDA) is asking dairy producers and other interested parties to nominate candidates to serve on the National Dairy Promotion and Research Board. The deadline for nominations is April 15, 2019.

Agriculture Secretary Sonny Perdue will appoint 12 individuals to succeed members whose terms expire on October 31, 2019.

USDA will accept nominations for board representation in eight geographic regions. Nominees for the regional positions must be dairy producers.

The geographic regions with vacancies are: Region 2 (Calif. and Hawaii); Region 3 (Ariz., Colo., Mont., Nev., Utah and Wyo.); Region 4 (Ark., Kan., N.M., Okla., and Texas); Region 6 (Wis.); Region 9 (Ind., Mich., Ohio, and W.Va.); Region 10 (Ala., District of Columbia, Fla., Ga., Ky., La., Miss., N.C., Puerto Rico, S.C., Tenn. and Va.); Region 11 (Del., Md., N.J., and Pa.); and Region 12 (Conn., Maine, Mass., N.H., N.Y., R.I., and Vt.).

Newly appointed members will serve three-year terms beginning on November 1, 2019, through October 31, 2022.

To nominate an individual, please submit a copy of the nomination form and a signed background form for each nominee by April 15, 2019, to: Jill Hoover, Deputy Director, Promotion, Research, and Planning Division, Dairy Program, AMS, USDA, 1400 Independence Ave., SW, Stop 0233, Room 2958-S, Washington, D.C. 20250-0233, or via email at jill.hoover@ams.usda.gov. For nominating forms and information, visit the AMS website or call (202) 720-1069.

The Dairy Research and Promotion Program, also known as the Dairy Checkoff Program, is a national producer and importer program for dairy product promotion, research, and nutrition education.

Since 1966, Congress has authorized the establishment of 22 industry-funded 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. USDA’s Agricultural Marketing Service provides oversight, paid for by industry assessments, which ensures fiscal accountability and program integrity.