The U.S. Department of Agriculture (USDA) is seeking three nominees for the Christmas Tree Promotion Board. Seats open for nominees are one western region producer, one central region producer, and one eastern region producer. USDA will appoint members to serve three-year terms beginning Jan. 1, 2023 and ending Dec. 31, 2025. Nominations for these seats are due to the board by June 1, 2022.
The board conducts an industry election to choose nominees to be considered for appointment by USDA. For applications, contact Marsha Gray, executive director, Christmas Tree Promotion Board a t (800) 985-0773 or marsha@christmastreepromotionboard.org. You may also contact Sue Coleman, deputy director of marketing programs, USDA at (202) 378-2569 or Sue.Coleman@usda.gov.
The Christmas Tree Promotion Board is industry-funded and supports the national research, marketing and promotion of Christmas trees. The board is composed of 12 members including 11 producers from the Western, Central and Eastern regions of the United States and one importer member. More information about the board is available on the Agricultural Marketing Service (AMS) Christmas Tree Promotion Board webpage.
Since 1966, Congress has authorized the development of industry-funded research and promotion boards to provide a framework for agricultural industries to pool their resources and combine efforts to develop new markets, strengthen existing markets and conduct important research and promotion activities. AMS provides oversight of 22 boards, paid for by industry assessments, which helps ensure fiscal accountability and program integrity.
AMS policy is that diversity of the boards, councils and committees it oversees should reflect the diversity of their industries in terms of the experience of members, methods of production and distribution, marketing strategies, and other distinguishing factors, including but not limited to individuals from historically underserved communities, that will bring different perspectives and ideas to the table. Throughout the full nomination process, the industry must conduct extensive outreach, paying particular attention to reaching underserved communities, and consider the diversity of the population served and the knowledge, skills, and abilities of the members to serve a diverse population
