USDA announces appointments to Hass Avocado Board

The U.S. Department of Agriculture BB #:164377 today announced the appointment of 11 members to the Hass Avocado Board BB #:302050. Appointed are three producer members, three producer alternates, two importer members and two importer alternates to fill three-year terms beginning Nov. 1, 2020, and expiring on Oct. 31, 2023, and one producer alternate to fill the remainder of the term which expires on Oct. 31, 2021.

Members and alternates newly appointed to serve are:

•Susan V. Pinkerton, Ventura, California (Producer Member)
•Ben Van Der Kar, Carpinteria, California (Producer Member)
•CJ Shade, Ojai, California (Producer Member)
•William Carleton, Carpinteria, California (Producer Alternate)
•Jeff Dickinson, Fallbrook, California (Producer Alternate)
•Kimberlin Brown Pelzer, Fallbrook, California (Producer Alternate)
•Keith Slattery, San Clemente, California (Producer Alternate 1-year term)
•Jorge A. Hernandez, McAllen, Texas (Importer Member)
•Sergio Chavez, Lake Elsinore, California (Importer Member)
•Andrew Bruno, Newbury Park, California (Importer Alternate)
•Peter Shore, Ojai, California (Importer Alternate)

The Hass Avocado Board has 12 members, which include seven producer members, two importer members and three producer or importer members who serve in swing seats. Each member has an alternate.

More information about the board is available on the Agricultural Marketing Service (AMS) Hass Avocado Board webpage and on the board’s website at hassavocadoboard.com.

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

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