State Agriculture Department Seeks Industry Nominations for Marke...

The New York State Department of Agriculture and Markets today announced that nominations are open for positions on New York State's Apple, Onion, and Cabbage Marketing Order Advisory Boards. Marketing Order Advisory Boards convene to recommend funding priorities to the Department's Commissioner, inform the Department of industry issues, and ensure that funded projects are having the intended impact on New York State agriculture.

Nominations should be submitted no later than Friday, December 6, 2024. Nomination forms and program information can be found at agriculture.ny.gov/farming/marketing-order-administration.

State Agriculture Commissioner Richard A. Ball said, "Our Marketing Order Advisory Boards provide critical support to our agricultural industry, helping to identify emerging market opportunities for vital crops, identify innovative research initiatives, and so much more. I encourage growers and processors across our state to consider lending their voice to these important initiatives by serving on a board."

New York State's Marketing Order programs are producer-initiated and provide critical funding for promotional and research-based projects aimed at improving the profitability of target crops statewide. The following Marketing Order programs are currently seeking nominations of industry professionals to serve on their Advisory Boards:

• Apple Research and Development Order - Two grower representative openings exist: one for the western region and one for the eastern region.
• Cabbage Research and Development Order - Two openings exist for grower representatives as well as one each for a processor representative and a handler representative from anywhere in the state.
• Onion Research and Development Order - Current openings includethreegrowers from eastern New York and one grower from western New York (nominations will also be accepted for growers from central New York for future consideration).
• Apple Marketing Order - No current openings exist, but nominations will be accepted for western and eastern New York apple growers, processors, and storage operators for future consideration.

Nomination forms for each Board, the counties represented in each region, as well as information on New York State's Marketing Order programs, can be found on the Department's Marketing Orders website. Nominations must be submitted no later than Friday, December 6, 2024 to be considered for upcoming appointments to the boards listed here. For more information, please contact Jonathan Marks at [email protected]or (518) 457-8305.

Marketing Order Advisory Boards typically convene twice a year: once to establish a recommended annual budget based on available funds and provide required motions; and once to ensure funded projects are meeting desired outcomes. As needed, each Advisory Board may also convene to discuss pressing industry or program issues to ensure proper implementation of the Marketing Order.