The Oregon Department of Agriculture (ODA) seeks applicants to fill 55 commissioner seats on 19 of the state’s agricultural and commercial fisheries commodity commissions. The deadline to apply is March 15, 2022. For instructions on how to apply or to learn more about commissions, please visit oda.direct/commissions.

Acting ODA Director Lauren Henderson appoints commissioners. Once selected commissioners serve as public officials; most serve three-year terms. Their duties include making decisions about funding for promotion, education, and research projects. Acting Director Henderson seeks 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 U.S. 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 U.S. citizens, 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 – 2 producers, 2 handlers;

        Beef Council – 1 beef producer, 2 dairy producers;

        Blueberry Commission – 2 producers, 1 handler;

        Clover Seed Commission – 2 producers, 1 handler;

        Dairy Products Commission – 2 producers (1 from Willamette/Southern Oregon -Clackamas, Columbia, Multnomah, Washington, Lane, Linn, Benton, Marion, Polk, Yamhill, Douglas, Josephine, Jackson, Klamath, Coos and Curry counties and 1 from Tillamook/North Coast – Clatsop, Tillamook and Lincoln counties), and 1 handler;

        Dungeness Crab Commission – 2 producers from the Port of Charleston and the Port of Newport;

        Fine Fescue Commission – 3 producers (2 state at large), and 1 public member;

        Hazelnut Commission – 2 producers, and 1 public member;

        Hop Commission – 2 producers;

        Mint Commission – 1 producer, 1 handler, and 1 public member;

        Potato Commission – 1 producer from Blue Mountain (Baker, Union, Wallowa, Grant, Morrow, and Umatilla counties), 1 public member;

        Processed Vegetable Commission – 3 producers; and 1 handler;

        Raspberry & Blackberry Commission – 3 producers;

        Ryegrass Seed Commission – 3 producers (1 state at large, 1 Linn county, and 1 Marion or Polk counties);

        Sheep Commission – 1 public member;

        Strawberry Commission – 1 producer, and 1 handler;

        Sweet Cherry Commission – 3 producers (1 from Western Oregon: all areas west of the Cascade Mountains, and 2 state at large);

        Tall Fescue Commission – 2 producers (1 Orchardgrass Seed), and 1 handler;

        Wheat Commission – 2 producers (1 from East of the Cascades but not from Umatilla, Morrow, Gilliam, Sherman, Wasco & Jefferson Co., and 1 from West of Cascades), 1 handler (Preferred: Willamette Valley).

For more information about Oregon’s Commodity Commissions or the application process please contact Jess Paulson, ODA Market Access and Certification Programs Director

jess.paulson@oda.oregon.gov or 503-507-9313.