National Mango Board slates agenda for meeting in Washington, DC
National Mango Board slates agenda for meeting in Washington, DC
The 18 newly appointed members of the National Mango Board, established by the federal Mango Promotion, Research & Information Order, have been invited to hold their first meeting in Washington June 14-16.
"The meeting, initially at USDA's headquarters and later at a nearby hotel conference center in the nations capital, will largely consist of a thorough orientation conducted by the staff of USDAs Agricultural Marketing Service," said George Chartier, a public affairs specialist for AMS.
Typically the first half-day of the three-day meeting will be devoted to the legal responsibilities of the members along with the areas which the board itself can explore. The orientation will include presentations by the AMS program staff, who will review the general rights and responsibilities of members of a federal research and promotion board. Mr. Chartier said that the members, who include both foreign and U.S. representatives, will learn about the boundaries of their authority; confidentiality issues; USDAs budget approval authority; the boards authority and responsibilities in contract approval and compliance; accountability for financial and program progress; prohibitions on influencing legislation and government policy; process and responsibility for carrying out referenda; USDAs authority for approving a programs promotional and educational materials; and program administration issues, including proper investment of funds, mandatory audits and allowable administrative expenses.
He continued: The orientation also will cover bylaws and procedures, such as attendance at meetings and the process of nominating members, and a review of the Commodity Promotion, Research & Information Act of 1996 that created the research and promotion order. There will also be presentations by the representatives of the AMS general counsel, compliance office and office of civil rights.
After the first half-day session, the board members will begin to get involved in the nuts and bolts of running a promotion program. Currently, a presentation by the Fresh Produce Association of Americas is slated for the early afternoon of the first day. That session will start the board on the process of establishing priorities and an agenda for the Mango Promotion Board. At some point within the three days, the board members will elect a chairperson and vice-chair, and perhaps other officers.
Mr. Chartier said it is also quite typical for a new board to establish sub-committees to start working areas such as promotion, research and the hiring of a management team, which would most likely include location of the office.
Prior to the first meeting in Washington, the AMS representative said that each member of the new board received packages of information on all these issues from the AMS.
In addition, the FPAA hired a private consulting firm to brief the industry on the process. That firm included former chief executive officers of promotion boards who have been through the development process.
At the end of the three-day meeting, the board is expected to be thoroughly prepared to carry out its duties and responsibilities to its membership and USDA, Mr. Chartier said. That will include the establishment of the time, date and location of the second meeting, which will probably take place in mid-summer and put the promotion of mangos on a fast track.
Agriculture Secretary Mike Johanns appointed the members to the National Mango Board on May 18, with length of terms varying from two to four years. Each term of office began on that day and ends on Dec. 31 of the appropriate year for the position appointed.
Appointed to fill the U.S. producer positions were: Vernancio C. Marti of Guaynabo, PR, for a four-year term of office; and Ingrid Rivas of Guaynabo, PR, for a three-year term. Anthony R. Godinez of McAllen, TX, was appointed to fill the first handler position for a four-year term.
Appointed to fill the importer positions were: District I, John-Campbell Barmmer of Miami, and Isabel C. Freeland of La Jolla, CA, each for four-year terms; District II, Sue Duleba of Mission, TX, Leonardo Tarriba of Rio Rico, AZ, and Wade Shiba of Missouri City, TX, each for a three-year term; District III, Charles Ciruli Jr. of Tubac, AZ, and Ismael Diaz of Nogales, AZ, each for a two-year term; and District IV, Larry Nienkerk of Woodside, CA, for a two-year term.
The seven foreign producer positions were filled by the following appointees: Alberto Luis Burgos of Ecuador, for a two-year term; Bonifacio Hernandez Bustamante and Cesar A. Cabello, both of Mexico, each for a four-year term; Jorge Eustacio Perez Calderon and Antonio Diaz Daniel of Mexico, each for a three-year term; Luque Miranda of Mexico for a two-year term; and Paul Barclay of Peru for a two-year term.
The National Mango Board, authorized by the Commodity Promotion, Research & Information Act of 1996, is an industry-funded, national generic program of research and promotion, industry and consumer information conducted to maintain, expand and develop domestic markets for fresh mangos.
USDAs Agricultural Marketing Service monitors the boards operations.
More information is available at www.ams.usda.gov/fv/rpb.html.
(A full report on mangos appears in the June 13 issue of The Produce News.)
"The meeting, initially at USDA's headquarters and later at a nearby hotel conference center in the nations capital, will largely consist of a thorough orientation conducted by the staff of USDAs Agricultural Marketing Service," said George Chartier, a public affairs specialist for AMS.
Typically the first half-day of the three-day meeting will be devoted to the legal responsibilities of the members along with the areas which the board itself can explore. The orientation will include presentations by the AMS program staff, who will review the general rights and responsibilities of members of a federal research and promotion board. Mr. Chartier said that the members, who include both foreign and U.S. representatives, will learn about the boundaries of their authority; confidentiality issues; USDAs budget approval authority; the boards authority and responsibilities in contract approval and compliance; accountability for financial and program progress; prohibitions on influencing legislation and government policy; process and responsibility for carrying out referenda; USDAs authority for approving a programs promotional and educational materials; and program administration issues, including proper investment of funds, mandatory audits and allowable administrative expenses.
He continued: The orientation also will cover bylaws and procedures, such as attendance at meetings and the process of nominating members, and a review of the Commodity Promotion, Research & Information Act of 1996 that created the research and promotion order. There will also be presentations by the representatives of the AMS general counsel, compliance office and office of civil rights.
After the first half-day session, the board members will begin to get involved in the nuts and bolts of running a promotion program. Currently, a presentation by the Fresh Produce Association of Americas is slated for the early afternoon of the first day. That session will start the board on the process of establishing priorities and an agenda for the Mango Promotion Board. At some point within the three days, the board members will elect a chairperson and vice-chair, and perhaps other officers.
Mr. Chartier said it is also quite typical for a new board to establish sub-committees to start working areas such as promotion, research and the hiring of a management team, which would most likely include location of the office.
Prior to the first meeting in Washington, the AMS representative said that each member of the new board received packages of information on all these issues from the AMS.
In addition, the FPAA hired a private consulting firm to brief the industry on the process. That firm included former chief executive officers of promotion boards who have been through the development process.
At the end of the three-day meeting, the board is expected to be thoroughly prepared to carry out its duties and responsibilities to its membership and USDA, Mr. Chartier said. That will include the establishment of the time, date and location of the second meeting, which will probably take place in mid-summer and put the promotion of mangos on a fast track.
Agriculture Secretary Mike Johanns appointed the members to the National Mango Board on May 18, with length of terms varying from two to four years. Each term of office began on that day and ends on Dec. 31 of the appropriate year for the position appointed.
Appointed to fill the U.S. producer positions were: Vernancio C. Marti of Guaynabo, PR, for a four-year term of office; and Ingrid Rivas of Guaynabo, PR, for a three-year term. Anthony R. Godinez of McAllen, TX, was appointed to fill the first handler position for a four-year term.
Appointed to fill the importer positions were: District I, John-Campbell Barmmer of Miami, and Isabel C. Freeland of La Jolla, CA, each for four-year terms; District II, Sue Duleba of Mission, TX, Leonardo Tarriba of Rio Rico, AZ, and Wade Shiba of Missouri City, TX, each for a three-year term; District III, Charles Ciruli Jr. of Tubac, AZ, and Ismael Diaz of Nogales, AZ, each for a two-year term; and District IV, Larry Nienkerk of Woodside, CA, for a two-year term.
The seven foreign producer positions were filled by the following appointees: Alberto Luis Burgos of Ecuador, for a two-year term; Bonifacio Hernandez Bustamante and Cesar A. Cabello, both of Mexico, each for a four-year term; Jorge Eustacio Perez Calderon and Antonio Diaz Daniel of Mexico, each for a three-year term; Luque Miranda of Mexico for a two-year term; and Paul Barclay of Peru for a two-year term.
The National Mango Board, authorized by the Commodity Promotion, Research & Information Act of 1996, is an industry-funded, national generic program of research and promotion, industry and consumer information conducted to maintain, expand and develop domestic markets for fresh mangos.
USDAs Agricultural Marketing Service monitors the boards operations.
More information is available at www.ams.usda.gov/fv/rpb.html.
(A full report on mangos appears in the June 13 issue of The Produce News.)
