Johanns Names Appointees to National Peanut Board

WASHINGTON.- Agriculture Secretary Mike Johanns today reappointed one member and appointed one member and two alternates to serve on the National Peanut Board.

John Clay of Carnegie, Okla., was reappointed to serve a three-year term of office. M. Gayle Walker, member, Portales, N.M., and alternates Gayle White, Frederick Okla. and Richard Robbins, Portales, also will serve three-year terms. The terms for all of the appointees will run from Jan. 1, 2008 to Dec. 31, 2010.

USDA’s Agricultural Marketing Service provides oversight and monitors the operations of the National Peanut Board in accordance with the Commodity Promotion Research and Information Act of 1996 and the Peanut Promotion, Research and Information Order. The board is authorized to collect assessments from domestic producers - who pay the rate of 1 percent of the total value of all farmers’ stock peanuts sold. These assessments allow the board to conduct generic promotion and research for consumer and producer information, as well as maintain, develop and expand markets for peanuts.

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