The Oregon Department of Agriculture (ODA) is seeking applicants to fill 68 commissioner seats on 22 of the state’s agricultural and commercial fisheries commodity commissions. The deadline to apply is March 15. For instructions or to learn more about commissions please visit the commodity commissions webpage. ODA Director Alexis Taylor appoints commissioners. Once appointed, they work as public officials and most serve three-year terms. Their duties include making decisions about funding on promotion, education, and research projects. Director Taylor is looking for applicants representing the diversity among Oregon’s farmers, ranchers, processors, and commercial fisheries. For public members, users of the commodity who have an interest and time to serve are often the best fit. A public member must be a US citizen, an Oregon resident, and have an active interest in improving economic conditions for the commodity. A public member cannot be directly associated with producing or handling the specific commodity they seek to serve. Applicants for producer or handler positions must also be a US citizen, an Oregon resident, and have paid or collected the assessment for that particular commodity for the previous three years or longer in some cases. A producer is defined as a grower or harvester. A handler is the first to buy the commodity from the producer and is often a processor, distributor, or marketer. The following Coastal commodity commissions have openings: Albacore Commission – 1 producer, 1 handler; Dungeness Crab Commission – 1 producer, 1 handler, 1 public member; Salmon Commission – 2 producers, 1 handler; Trawl Commission – 1 producer, 1 handler. For more information about Oregon’s Commodity Commissions or the application process please contact: Kris Anderson, ODA Commodity Oversight Program Manager, kanderson@oda.state.or.us 503-970-3260.
