The Oregon Department of Agriculture (ODA) seeks volunteers to fill 63 commissioner seats on 22 of the state’s agricultural and commercial fisheries commodity commissions. The deadline to apply is March 15.
ODA Director Alexis Taylor appoints commissioners; most serve three-year terms. Their duties include making decisions about funding for promotion, education, and research projects. Director Taylor is looking for applicants who represent 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 commodity commissions have openings:
Albacore Commission – 2 producers, 1 handler; 1 public member;
Alfalfa Seed Commission – 2 producers;
Beef Council – 1 beef producer, 1 Cattle Feeder/Feedlot Operator;
Blueberry Commission – 2 producers, 1 handler;
Clover Seed Commission – 1 producer, 2 handlers;
Dairy Products Commission – 1 producer from Willamette/Southern Oregon (Clackamas, Columbia, Multnomah, Washington, Lane, Linn, Benton, Marion, Polk, Yamhill, Douglas, Josephine, Jackson, Klamath, Coos, and Curry counties);
1 producer from Tillamook/North Coast (Clatsop, Tillamook and Lincoln counties);
1 public member, State at Large
Dungeness Crab Commission – 1 producer (Port of Brookings) 1 producer (Port of Astoria), 1 handler;
Fine Fescue Commission – 2 producers;
Hazelnut Commission – 2 producers;
Hop Commission – 2 producers, 1 handler, 1 public member;
Mint Commission – 3 producers;
Potato Commission – 2 producers (1 from Malheur & Harney counties) & (1 from the Klamath, Coos, Curry, Douglas, Jackson, Josephine & Lake counties)
Processed Vegetable Commission – 1 producer, 1 handler, 1 public member;
Raspberry & Blackberry Commission – 3 producers, 1 handler;
Ryegrass Seed Commission – 2 producers (1 Lane county, 1 state at large), 1 public member;
Salmon Commission – 1 producer (South of Florence to southern Oregon border);
Sheep Commission – 2 producers;
Strawberry Commission – 3 producers;
Sweet Cherry Commission – 4 producers (2 from Western Oregon (all areas west of the Cascade Mountains & 2 from Wasco and Hood River counties), 1 handler;
Tall Fescue Commission – 3 producers;
Trawl Commission – 2 producers, 1 handler;
Wheat Commission – 1 producer (Umatilla, Morrow, Gilliam, Sherman, Wasco, & Jefferson county), 1 handler.
For instructions on applying or learning more about commissions, please visit oda.direct/commissions.
For more information about Oregon’s Commodity Commissions or the application process, please contact Kris Anderson, ODA Commodity Oversight Program Manager
kanderson@oda.oregon.gov or 503-970-3260.