The Oregon Department of Agriculture (ODA) is seeking applicants to fill 70 commissioner seats on 22 of the state’s agricultural and commercial fisheries commodity commissions. The deadline to apply is March 16, 2020. For instructions on how to apply, the application or to learn more about commissions please visit oda.direct/commissions. ODA Director Alexis Taylor is responsible for appointing commissioners. Once appointed, they work as public officials and serve a two- to four-year terms (term length varies, see the website for details). Commissioner duties include funding decisions for promotion, education, and research projects. Director Taylor is looking for applicants who represent the diversity among Oregon’s farmers, ranchers, processors, and commercial fishers. For public members, commodity consumers who have an interest in the industry 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 the production or handling of the specific commodity they seek to support. 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 commodity commissions with connections to the Coast that have openings: Albacore Commission – 2 producers, 1 handler; Blueberry Commission – 2 producers, 1 handler; Dungeness Crab Commission – 3 producers (1 each from Port of Astoria, Charleston, and Newport); Dungeness Crab Commission – 3 producers (1 each from Port of Astoria, Charleston, and Newport); Dungeness Crab Commission – 3 producers (1 each from Port of Astoria, Charleston, and Newport).
