ODA seeks to fill 68 commodity commission vacancies

The Oregon Department of Agriculture said Monday it is seeking applicants to fill 68 open positions on the state’s 23 agricultural and commercial fisheries commodity commissions.

The deadline for applications is May 18. Applications will be accepted after the deadline for unfilled positions until they are filled. The Commissioner Application and Qualification forms and a list of all openings may be seen at oda.direct/commissions Scroll to Resources for the application forms.

Most appointments are for a three-year term beginning July 1, 2018. Some commissions have openings for four-year terms. Several of the appointments will be for less than three years since they will fill unexpired terms.

Applicants for producer or handler positions on any commodity commission must be a US citizen, an Oregon resident, and have paid or collected the assessment for that particular commodity for at least three years, or four years in some cases. Several of the vacant positions are for public members.

A public member must also be a US citizen, an Oregon resident, and have an active interest in improving economic conditions for that commodity. A public member cannot be directly associated with the production or handling of the specific commodity they seek to serve. ODA has nine public member positions open on these commissions:

Beef

Fine Fescue seed

Strawberry

Blueberry

Dungeness Crab

Sweet Cherry

Clover Seed

Raspberry/Blackberry

Tall Fescue Seed

ODA Director Alexis Taylor appoints commissioners to make decisions about how producer assessments are spent on promotion, education, and research projects funded by each commodity commission. She is seeking applicants who represent the diversity among Oregon farmers, processors and commercial fisheries. For public members, consumers of the commodity who have the interest and time to serve will be the best fit.

The following Oregon commodity commissions are seeking applicants for appointment:

· Oregon Albacore Commission– 1 producer, 1 handler

· Oregon Alfalfa Seed Commission– 1 producer, 1 handler

· Oregon Beef Council– 1 beef producer, 1 dairy producer, 1 handler, 1 public member

· Oregon Blueberry Commission– 2 producers, 1 public member

· Oregon Clover Seed Commission– 4 producers, 1 public member

· Oregon Dairy Products Commission– 1 Southern Oregon producer (Coos, Curry, Douglas, Josephine, Klamath), 1 Eastern Oregon producer (Baker, Crook, Deschutes, Gilliam, Grant, Harney, Hood River, Jefferson, Lake, Malheur, Morrow, Sherman, Umatilla, Union, Wallowa, Wasco)

· Oregon Dungeness Crab Commission– 1 producer, 1 handler, 1 public member

· Oregon Fine Fescue Commission– 1 producer statewide, 1 producer Union County, 1 public member

· Oregon Hazelnut Commission– 2 producers, 1 handler

· Oregon Hop Commission– 3 producers

· Oregon Mint Commission– 1 producer, 1 handler

· Oregon Orchardgrass Seed Commission– 1 producer, 1 handler

· Oregon Potato Commission– 1 Southeast Oregon producer (Harney, Malheur), 1 Southern Oregon producer (Coos, Curry, Douglas, Jackson, Josephine, Klamath, Lake)

· Oregon Processed Vegetable Commission– 5 producers, 1 handler

· Oregon Raspberry & Blackberry Commission– 1 producer, 1 public member

· Oregon Ryegrass Seed Commission– 1 Benton or Lane producer, 1 state at large producer, 1 state-at-large handler

· Oregon Salmon Commission– 2 producers

· Oregon Sheep Commission– 3 producers of lamb

· Oregon Strawberry Commission– 1 producer, 1 public member

· Oregon Sweet Cherry Commission– 2 Wasco or Hood River county producers, 1 state at large producer, 1 public member

· Oregon Tall Fescue Commission– 2 producers, 1 public member

· Oregon Trawl Commission– 2 producers, 1 handler

· Oregon Wheat Commission– 1 Gilliam, Jefferson, Sherman, Umatilla, or Wasco counties producer, 1 handler, 1 public member.

For further information on qualifications, contact: Kris Anderson at 503-872-6604 or 503-970-3260.