Conner Names Members To The Mushroom Council

Acting Agriculture Secretary Chuck Conner today appointed four members to serve on the Mushroom Council.

Newly appointed producer members who will serve three-year terms beginning Jan. 1, 2008 and ending Dec. 31, 2010 are: Fletcher Street, Region 1, Tacoma, Wash.; Kathleen K. Lafferty, Region 2, Landenberg, Pa.; and Joe Caldwell, Region 3, Knoxville, Tenn.

Virgil Jurgensmeyer of Miami, Okla., the newly appointed member for Region 1, will serve a two-year term beginning Jan. 1, 2008 and ending Dec. 31, 2009.

Authorized under the Mushroom Promotion, Research and Consumer Information Act of 1990, the Mushroom Council -- composed of fresh market producers or importers who average more than 500,000 pounds of mushrooms produced or imported annually -- administers a national promotion, research and consumer information program to maintain and expand markets for fresh mushrooms. USDA’s Agricultural Marketing Service monitors the operations of the council.

More information about research and promotion programs can be found at ams.usda.gov/fv/rpb.html.