The Oregon Department of Agriculture (ODA) is seeking applicants to fill 68 commissioner seats on 22 of the state’s agricultural and commercial fisheries commodity commissions. The deadline to apply is March 15. For instructions on how to use or learn more about commissions, please visit oda.direct/commissions.

ODA Director Alexis Taylor appoints commissioners. Once appointed, they work as public officials; most serve three-year terms. Their duties include making decisions about funding on promotion, education, and research projects. Director Taylor is looking for applicants representing the diversity among Oregon’s farmers, ranchers, processors, and commercial fisheries. For public members, users of the commodity who have an interest and time to serve are often the best fit.

A public member must be a US citizen, an Oregon resident, and have an active interest in improving economic conditions for the commodity. A public member cannot be directly associated with producing or handling the specific commodity they seek to serve.

Applicants for producer or handler positions must also be a US citizen, an Oregon resident, and have paid or collected the assessment for that particular commodity for the previous three years or longer in some cases. A producer is defined as a grower or harvester. A handler is the first to buy the commodity from the producer and is often a processor, distributor, or marketer.

The following commodity commissions have openings: Albacore Commission – 1 producer, 1 handler; Alfalfa Seed Commission – 3 producers, 1 handler; Beef Council – 1 beef producer, 1 dairy producer, 1 handler, 1 public member; Blueberry Commission – 2 producers, 1 public member; Clover Seed Commission – 3 producers, 1 public member; Dairy Products Commission –2 producers from Central and Eastern Oregon (Malheur, Baker, Wallowa, Union, Grant, Umatilla, Harney, Deschutes, Crook, Jefferson, Hood River, Wasco, Morrow, Sherman, Gilliam, Wheeler, and Lake counties); Dungeness Crab Commission – 1 producer, 1 handler, 1 public member; Fine Fescue Commission – 3 producers (1 state at large, 2 from Union County), 1 public member; Hazelnut Commission – 2 producers, 1 handler; Hop Commission – 3 producers; Mint Commission – 1 producer, 1 handler; Potato Commission – 2 producers (1 from Central Oregon, 1 from the Willamette Valley), 1 Blue Mountain handler; Processed Vegetable Commission – 3 producers; Raspberry & Blackberry Commission – 1 producer, 1 public member; Ryegrass Seed Commission – 2 producers (1 Lane or Benton county, 1 state at large), 1 handler; Salmon Commission – 2 producers, 1 handler; Sheep Commission – 3 producers; Strawberry Commission – 2 producers, 1 handler, 1 public member; Sweet Cherry Commission – 2 producers (both from Wasco or Hood River County), 1 public member; Tall Fescue Commission – 2 producers, 1 public member; Trawl Commission – 1 producer, 1 handler; Wheat Commission – 1 producer (Umatilla, Morrow, Gilliam, Sherman, Jefferson, or Wasco county), 1 handler (Willamette Valley).

For more information about Oregon’s Commodity Commissions or the application process please contact Kris Anderson, ODA Commodity Oversight Program Manager kanderson@oda.state.or.us or 503-970-3260.