NMB continuation referendum passes
NMB continuation referendum passes
The United States Department of Agriculture has announced the results from the National Mango Board’s continuation referendum, showcasing a whopping 91 percent of mango industry members who voted were in favor. The continuation referendum took place April 6-17, and it allowed eligible mango industry members to vote on the continuation of the NMB and its efforts to increase mango consumption in the United States.
As required by USDA, a continuation referendum is to be conducted every five years. Eligible voting members were mango industry importers and first handlers who handled at least 500,000 pounds of mangos during the 2014 calendar year. This is the third vote by the industry for the Orlando, FL-based company, which showcases an 18 percentage point increase of support from the mango industry compared to 2010. The initial referendum establishing the NMB was held in 2005 in which the industry voted in favor of the Mango Promotion, Research & Information Order.
"We are grateful for the continued support of the mango industry, who recognizes the value of the NMB’s efforts in bringing the love of mangos to the U.S.,” Manuel Michel, executive director of the NMB, said in a press release. “There is still room to continue expanding the reputation of mangos, and having the opportunity to work together as an industry is beneficial to achieve our mission, which is to increase consumption of fresh mangos in the U.S. through innovative research and promotional activities, while fostering a thriving industry.”
The favorable results from this referendum will allow the NMB to continue with its strategies to increase mango consumption in the United States through its marketing, research and industry relations programs. The next continuation referendum will be held in 2020.
