ODA Looking For People To Join Commodity Commissions

Oregon’s 23 commodity commissions are looking to fill dozens of vacancies in the coming weeks.  Altogether there are 67 openings for the state’s agricultural and commercial fishery commodity commissions, and that includes either producers, handlers, or public members to serve four-year terms, with some of them filling unexpired terms.  Kris Anderson of the Oregon Department of Agriculture’s Commodity Commission Oversight Program said there has been extra effort to recruit prospective commissioners.

“We are reaching out to other organizations that we hadn’t reached out to before– for instance, the Small Farms Conference. We now have brochures that we are getting out to different organizations that didn’t really know what the commodity commissions do or know about the opportunity to serve.”

Commissions range from beef to berries to seafood and more.  While producers and handlers have a direct tie to the commodity in which they serve, the public member simply has to have a strong interest in that commodity.

“It’s really a great opportunity for someone who is a consumer of that particular commodity to help the commodity understand the consumer’s point of view.”

Commissioners are appointed by the ODA Director.  To apply or learn more, visit the ODA's Website.  The deadline for applications is mid-May.

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