WASHINGTON — The U.S. Department of Agriculture (USDA) Agricultural Marketing Service (AMS) is seeking nominees for the American Lamb Board. Nominations are due April 11, 2021, for one producer with 101-500 lambs, one producer with more than 500 lambs, one feeder with 5,000 or more lambs, and one first handler. Members will serve three-year terms beginning February 2022 and ending February 2025.

Any U.S. producer, feeder, or first handler who owns or purchases lambs may be considered for nomination. To satisfy the requirements of the Lamb Promotion and Research Order, either the producer nominee with 101-500 lambs or the producer nominee with more than 500 lambs must be from Region 1.

USDA selects members nominated by Certified Nominating Organizations (CNO). More information about the nomination process, a list of CNOs and nomination forms are available on the AMS American Lamb Board webpage.

The 13-member American Lamb Board is industry-funded and supports the national marketing and promotion of sheep and sheep products. For more information, contact Agricultural Marketing Specialist Jason Julian at (202) 731-2149 or Jason.Julian@usda.gov.

AMS policy is that the diversity of the board should reflect the diversity of their industries in experience of members, methods of production and distribution, marketing strategies, and other distinguishing factors that will bring different perspectives and ideas to the table. When submitting nominations, the industry must consider the diversity of the population served and the knowledge, skills, and abilities of the members to serve a diverse population.

Since 1966, Congress has authorized industry-funded research and promotion boards to provide a framework for agricultural industries to pool resources and combine efforts to develop new markets, strengthen existing markets and conduct important research and promotion activities. AMS provides oversight to 21 boards. The oversight ensures fiscal accountability and program integrity and is paid for by industry assessments.

–USDA AMS

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