ALBANY — New York State Agriculture Commissioner Richard A. Ball today announced the members of the 2017 New York State Dairy Promotion Order Advisory Board. The Advisory Board, which administers the Dairy Promotion Order and evaluates dairy marketing promotion programs, consists of ten New York milk producers appointed by the Commissioner. Each member serves a three-year term starting May 1, 2017. Three of the ten members will serve on the Advisory Board for the first time.
Commissioner Ball has appointed the following members to the Advisory Board:
- Larry Bailey of Fort Ann – endorsed by Dairy Farmers of America and is a new member
- Barbara Hanselman of Bloomville – an at-large member and is a new member
- David “Skip” Hardie of Lansing – endorsed by New York Farm Bureau and serves as Chairman
- Jason Kehl of Strykersville – endorsed by Niagara Frontier Cooperative Milk Producers’ Bargaining Agency, Inc.
- LouAnne King of Madrid – an at-large member
- Kim Nelson of West Winfield – an at-large member
- Chris Noble of Linwood – an at-large member
- Mike Nolan of Cambridge – endorsed by Agri-Mark, Inc. and is a new member
- John Mueller of Clifton Springs – endorsed by Rochester Cooperative Milk Producers’ Bargaining Agency, Inc.
- Carroll Wade of Jasper – endorsed by New York State Grange
Commissioner Ball said, “The work of the Dairy Promotion Order Advisory Board is important to the continued education of consumers and promotion of the State’s dairy products. I congratulate those who have been appointed to the 2017 Advisory Board and welcome our new members who are serving for the first time. Their work will help guide the future of the industry in New York State.”
The Dairy Promotion Order Advisory Board advises the Commissioner on the distribution of approximately $14 million a year in funds collected from milk producers under the producer-approved New York Dairy Promotion Order. Nominations to the board are submitted and endorsed by milk producers.
The board meets regularly to recommend allocations to new programs and to review progress of programs currently funded under the Order, which include dairy promotion programs, nutrition, education and outreach programs, as well as a variety of dairy product quality research proposals. The first New York State Dairy Promotion Order Advisory Board was appointed in May 1972 at the request of dairy producers.
David “Skip” Hardie, Chairman of the New York State Dairy Promotion Order Advisory Board, said, “It is a tremendous responsibility to direct the hard-earned promotion dollars of the dairy farmers of New York State and it is a role we take very seriously. I look forward to building on our past successes and embracing what the future may bring.”
Commissioner Ball also thanked the Board’s previous members for their service— Edwin Schoen (1990 -2017), Carol Rea (2002-2017) and Peter Coon (2017-2017). At the board’s most recent meeting, Edwin Schoen was presented with an award to commemorate his nearly three decade commitment to the board.
New York State has nearly 5,000 dairy farms that produce over 14 billion pounds of milk annually, making New York the nation’s third largest dairy state. The dairy industry is the State’s largest agricultural sector, contributing significantly to the economy by generating nearly half of New York’s total agricultural receipts and providing some of the highest economic multipliers in the State.
About the New York State Department of Agriculture and Markets
The Department, through its various divisions and programs, promotes New York agriculture and its high-quality and diverse products, fosters agricultural environmental stewardship, and safeguards the State’s food supply, land and livestock to ensure the viability and growth of New York’s agricultural industries.
The Department operates the Great New York State Fair, and administers the Taste NY initiative, the FreshConnect and New York State Grown and Certified programs. Follow the Department on its Facebook page and on Twitter.
—NYS Department of Agriculture and Markets
For more articles out of New York, click here.