Connor Taps New Members for USDA Research and Promotions Programs

Acting Agricultural Secretary Chuck Conner has appointed new members to serve on the U.S. Highbush Blueberry Council, National Mango Board, and Mushroom Council. Most of the newly appointed members of each group will each serve three-year terms of office beginning Jan. 1, 2008 and ending Dec. 31, 2010.

Newly appointed producer members of the U.S. Highbush Blueberry Council are: H. Neil Moore of Ivanhoe, NC; Dennis G. Doyle, New Lisbon, NJ; and Douglas A. Krahmer, St. Paul, OR. Reappointed producer members are: Adair Chambers Peterson, Homerville, GA; Robert Carini, West Olive, MI; and Rod Cook, Olympia, WA. Newly appointed alternates are: Ralph C. Carter Jr., White Lake, NC; Tim Wetherbee, Hammonton, NJ; Ryan L. Brown, Hillsboro, OR; and John V. Bennett, Alma, GA. Reappointed alternates are: Kathryn A. Clemons, Pullman, MI, and Bryan Sakuma, Bow, WA. Paul Macrie III of Hammonton, NJ, is a newly appointed handler member and Guy P. Cotton, Stockton, CA, is a newly appointed handler alternate.

Conner has also announced six appointments to the 20-member National Mango Board: Caleb Cliff Cavazos, Rio Rico, AZ, importer, District III, as well as Flavio Muranaka, Brazil, and Yamil Farah, Ecuador, foreign producers. Reappointed members are: Ismael Diaz, Rio Rico, AZ, importer, District III; Larry Nienkerk, Woodside, CA, importer, District IV; and Paul Barclay, Peru, foreign producer.

Conner also appointed four members to serve on the Mushroom Council: Fletcher Street, Region 1, Tacoma, WA; Kathleen K. Lafferty, Region 2, Landenberg, PA; and Joe Caldwell, Region 3, Knoxville, TN. Virgil Jurgensmeyer of Miami, OK, the newly appointed member for Region 1, will serve a two-year term beginning Jan. 1, 2008 and ending Dec. 31, 2009.

To learn more about these USDA research and promotions programs, visit each groups respective website:

U.S. Highbush Blueberry Council;
National Mango Board; 
Mushroom Council.