USDA is seeking nominees to serve on the National Dairy Promotion and Research Board (NDB). Nomination deadline is Sept. 28.

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Dave Natzke
Editor / Progressive Dairy

USDA will accept dairy producer nominations from the following regions: Region 2 (California and Hawaii); Region 3 (Arizona, Colorado, Montana, Nevada, Utah and Wyoming); Region 4 (Arkansas, Kansas, New Mexico, Oklahoma and Texas); Region 6 (Wisconsin); Region 9 (Indiana, Michigan, Ohio and West Virginia); Region 10 (Alabama, District of Columbia, Florida, Georgia, Kentucky, Louisiana, Mississippi, North Carolina, Puerto Rico, South Carolina, Tennessee and Virginia); Region 11 (Delaware, Maryland, New Jersey and Pennsylvania); and Region 12 (Connecticut, Maine, Massachusetts, New Hampshire, New York, Rhode Island and Vermont).

U.S. Ag Secretary Tom Vilsack will appoint 12 dairy producers to serve three-year terms on the board, beginning Nov. 1, 2016, and ending Oct. 31, 2019. Five members will be appointed for Region 2 and one member for each of the remaining regions.

For nominating forms and information, visit the USDA-AMS Dairy Program website or contact Jill Hoover, Deputy Director, Promotion, Research and Planning Division, Dairy Program, AMS, USDA, 1400 Independence Ave. SW, Room 2958-S, Stop 0233, Washington, D.C. 20250-0233; telephone (202) 720-1069.

Importer representation cut

USDA previously announced importer representation on the NDB will be reduced to one. USDA proposed the reduction, down from two, last April. The final proposed rule was published Aug. 12.

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USDA determines the number of importer representatives on the NDB board every three years. Representation is determined by the comparing the average volume of dairy imports to volumes of domestic dairy product production.

U.S. dairy producer representation will remain at 36.

NDB program activities are financed by a mandatory 15-cent per hundredweight assessment on all milk marketed commercially in the U.S. Importers pay a 7.5-cent per hundredweight assessment on milk, or equivalent thereof, on dairy products imported into the U.S.  end mark

Dave Natzke