USDA Announces National Honey Board Appointments

Agriculture Secretary Sonny Perdue today announced the appointment of six individuals to serve on the National Honey Board.

Members and alternates newly appointed to serve three-year terms are:

• Douglas M. Hauke, Marshfield, Wis. (Producer Member)
• Mark A. Jensen, Power, Mont. (Producer Alternate)
• Tim Burleson, Waxahachie, Texas (First Handler Alternate)
• Gregory Brekke Olsen, Chaska, Minn. (Importer-Handler Member)
• Mathias Leitner, Gilbert, Ariz. (Importer-Handler Alternate)
• Eric S. Wenger of Peabody, Kan. (Reappointed, First Handler Member)

“The wide range of experience represented on the board is key to the success of the innovative research, education and promotional work they do to expand domestic markets for honey and honey products through consumer education,” said Perdue. “The board can count on USDA to continue to be a trusted partner to the honey industry.”

The 20-member National Honey Board is composed of three first handler representatives, two importer representatives, one importer-handler representative, three producer representatives, one marketing cooperative representative, and an alternate for each.

Since 1966, Congress has authorized 22 industry-funded research and promotion boards to provide a framework for agricultural industries to pool resources and combine efforts to develop new markets, strengthen existing markets and conduct important research and promotion activities. The Agricultural Marketing Service (AMS) provides oversight, paid for by industry assessments, which helps ensure fiscal responsibility, program efficiency and fair treatment of participating stakeholders.

More information about the board is available on the National Honey Board page on the AMS website and on the National Honey Board website.

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