Mike Johanns today appointed six members to serve on the Peanut Standards Board

JOHANNS APPOINTS MEMBERS TO THE PEANUT STANDARDS BOARD

WASHINGTON, Aug. 5, 2005 -- Agriculture Secretary Mike Johanns today appointed six members to serve on the Peanut Standards Board.

The 2002 Farm Bill provided for the establishment of the board and directed USDA to consult with the board before establishing or changing quality and handling standards for domestically produced and imported peanuts.

The Peanut Standards Board consists of 18 members with equal representation by peanut producers and peanut representatives. Three producers and three industry representatives are appointed from each of three regions - the Southeast (Alabama, Georgia and Florida), Southwest (Texas, Oklahoma and New Mexico) and from the Virginia and North Carolina peanut-producing regions. Initial appointments to the board were staggered for 1-, 2- and 3-year terms of office ending June 30, 2003, 2004 and 2005. The new members will replace one producer and one industry member from each peanut-producing region whose terms expired on June 30, 2005.

For the terms of office ending June 30, 2008, the new appointees are:

Southeast Region: producer Martin McLendon of Leary, Ga., and industry representative Dennis R. Finch of Samson, Ala.

Southwest Region: R. Wayne Hardin of Portales, N.M., and industry representative Alan L. Ortloff of Madill, Okla.

Virginia-Carolina Region: James W. Mason of Harrellsville, N.C., and industry representative Stewart Parnell of Lynchburg, Va.

More information on the board is at ams.usda.gov/fv/peanut-farmbil

Release No. 0296.05, Contact: Ed Loyd (202)720-4623, George Chartier (202)720-8998

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