The Oregon Department of Agriculture is seeking applicants to fill 74 open positions on the state’s 23 agricultural and commercial fisheries commodity commissions. ODA Director Katy Coba appoints commissioners to make decisions about how producer assessments are spent on promotion, education, and research projects funded by each commodity commission. Most appointments are for a three-year term beginning July 1, 2016. The Oregon Potato Commission and Oregon Orchardgrass Seed Commission have openings for four-year terms. Some of the appointments will be less than three years because they complete 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 the 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 particular commodity. A public member cannot be directly associated with the production or handling of the particular commodity served by the commission they seek to serve. Director Coba will begin making appointments in early May as soon as ODA receives at least one applicant for each opening on a particular commission. A suggested deadline for applications is April 30, 2016 but applications will be accepted until each position is filled. The following Oregon Commodity Commissions impacting the Oregon Coast are seeking applicants for appointment: • Oregon Albacore Commission – 2 producers, 1 handler, 1 public member; • Oregon Beef Council – 2 beef producers; • Oregon Blueberry Commission – 2 producers, 1 handler; • Oregon Dungeness Crab Commission – 2 producers, 1 handler; • Oregon Salmon Commission – 1 Northern Oregon border to Cascade Head producer, 1 Cascade Head to south of Florence producer, 1 south of Florence to Southern Oregon border producer, 1 handler, 1 public member; • Oregon Trawl Commission – 2 producers, 1 public member. For more information on qualifications and a complete listing of openings, go to <http://www.oregon.gov/ODA/programs/MarketAccess/Pages/OregonCommodityCommissions.aspx> or contact Commodity Commission Program Manager Kris Anderson at 503-872-6600.
