Industry News

BLUEBERRY INDUSTRY CONDUCTS ELECTION OF STATE COUNCIL MEMBERS FOR U.S. HIGHBUSH BLUEBERRY COUNCIL <pdf>

May 6, 2013- Members of the cultivated blueberry industry are being asked to select representatives to fill state council member and alternate positions on the U.S. Highbush Blueberry Council (USHBC) Blueberry Promotion, Research and Information Order. Voting begins June 10, 2013 and continues for a five week voting period. Voters are being asked to complete their ballot and send it back to the U.S. Highbush Blueberry Council (USHBC) to be received no later than by close of business on July 15, 2013.

The USHBC is mailing ballots to blueberry growers in Michigan who received nomination applications earlier this year. Ballots will also be posted on the USHBC website at www.blueberry.org. Those who do not receive a ballot by June 10, 2013 can obtain a copy by contacting the USHBC office at (916) 983-0111 (phone) or (916) 983-9022 (fax).

Votes are being cast for 6 state council member positions. Growers in the state of Michigan will vote for their representative. Election of council members and alternates for New Jersey, Georgia Oregon, Washington and California will be handled by their individual state blueberry councils and commissions.

Eligible voters are those who produced 2,000 pounds or more of cultivated blueberries in the United States during the period of January 1, 2012 to December 31, 2012. Nominations for state member from Michigan were conducted from March 11 to April 15, 2013. Candidates identified during this nomination process are listed on the final Michigan ballot. Space is also made available on the ballot for write-in candidates.

Those receiving the most votes for each producer seat will be recommended to the Secretary of Agriculture as council members. Those who earn the second most votes for each position will be recommended as the alternate. Those who receive the third and fourth most votes will also be reported to the Secretary of Agriculture for consideration. Council members and alternates will serve for a term of three years starting in 2014 and will be allowed to serve a maximum of two consecutive terms.

The USHBC has adopted a diversity outreach plan to attempt to achieve a diverse representation on the Council. USHBC programs are open to all individuals without regard to race, color, national origin, sex, religion, age, disability, political beliefs, sexual orientation, genetic information, parental status and marital or family status. It is USHBC policy that membership on the Council and its committees reflect the diversity of individuals served by its programs.

Producers and importers of cultivated blueberries approved the establishment of the national promotion program through a referendum conducted by the USDA Agricultural Marketing Service in 2000. In this initial referendum, 68% of those who voted favored implementation of the order. Those who voted in favor represented 73% of the volume of cultivated blueberries represented in the referendum. As required every five years by the USDA, a continuation referendum on the USHBC was conducted in 2006 with the Council receiving a strong endorsement from the industry with 87% of those who voted voting in favor (94% of the volume of cultivated blueberries represented in the referendum). A second continuation referendum conducted in 2011 showed that 88% of those who voted favored continuation of the order. Those who voted represented 98% of the volume of cultivated blueberries represented in the referendum.

The program is funded by an assessment of $12 per ton on domestic cultivated blueberries and $12 per ton on fresh or processed imported cultivated blueberries starting in 2001. Market promotion activities funded through the USHBC program began in January of 2002.

February 11, 2013 (Folsom, Calif.)- Members of the highbush (cultivated) blueberry industry are now seeking nominees to fill U.S. Highbush Blueberry Council (USHBC) state member and alternate positions for the 2014 to 2016 term. The nomination period will begin on March 11, 2013. The current six USHBC state member and alternate terms will expire on December 31, 2013.

Potential nominees are required to complete a USHBC nomination application and forward their application on to the USHBC office by no later than April 15, 2013. Nominations are to be received directly from growers in Michigan. Nominations for the other five state positions, Oregon, Georgia, New Jersey, Washington and California will be completed by their respective state blueberry councils and commissions. Nomination applications will be mailed directly to growers in Michigan. Applications are also available on line at the USHBC website at www.blueberry.org., or can be requested by contacting the USHBC office by phone at (916) 983-0111 or by fax at (916) 983-9022. Eligible producer nominees are those who produced 2,000 pounds or more of highbush (cultivated) blueberries in the United States during the period of January 1, 2012 to December 31, 2012.

Once the nomination period is closed, a ballot will be prepared listing all nominees. Ballots will then be mailed to growers in Michigan on June 10, 2013. The voting period will be open for 35 days and close on July 15, 2013.

Those receiving the most votes for each producer seat will be recommended to the Secretary of Agriculture as council members. Those who earn the second most votes for each position will be recommended as the alternate. The names of those who receive the third and fourth most votes will be sent on to the Secretary for consideration as well. Council members and alternates will serve a term of three years beginning January 1, 2014. Members and alternates can serve for a maximum of two consecutive terms.

To accomplish this objective, the USHBC will strive to attain representation of growers and other industry participants from diverse backgrounds on the Council and USHBC committees. To this end, the USHBC strongly encourages women, minorities and persons with disabilities to seek nominations to the USHBC and to participate in Council and USHBC committee activities. Producers and importers of highbush blueberries approved the establishment of the USHBC through a referendum conducted by the USDA Agricultural Marketing Service in the year 2000. The USHBC program was formally established in August of 2000. Support of the Council was reconfirmed by a majority of producers and importers voting in a continuance referendum conducted in August of 2011. The program is funded by an assessment of $12 per ton on domestic highbush (cultivated) blueberries and $12 per ton on fresh and processed imported cultivated blueberries. Market promotion activities funded through the USHBC program began in January of 2002.

The USHBC Industry Relations Committee is seeking nominees to be considered for USHBC Handler and Importer Member and Alternate positions on the Council. Nominees are being sought for the three-year term that begins January 1, 2014.

The committee plans to present a slate of potential nominees to the USHBC Executive Committee for consideration by February 11, 2013. The Council will then make final candidate selections at the USHBC Spring Meeting on March 1, 2013. At this meeting, the Council will recommend to the U.S. Secretary of Agriculture a final candidate for a handler member and alternate and two importer members and alternates, along with two additional candidates for each of these three positions, for consideration by the Secretary for final appointments.

Blueberry industry members interested in being considered for the USHBC Handler or Importer Member and Alternate positions are asked to complete a USHBC Handler & Importer Nominee Application (download) and send their completed application to the USHBC via fax at (916) 983-9022 or email to mvillata@ushbc.org no later than Friday, January 18, 2013.

Please contact the USHBC office by phone at (916) 983-0111, or by email to mvillata@ushbc.org with any questions you may have about these positions or the nomination process.