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USDA Announces National Pork Board Appointments

The U.S. Department of Agriculture today announced the appointment of four members to the National Pork Board. All four appointees will serve three-year terms beginning June 2024 and ending June 2027.

The appointed members are:

Pat Bane, Arrowsmith, Illinois
Kevin Rasmussen, Goldfield, Iowa
Jesse Heimer, Taylor, Missouri
Dr. Seth Krantz, Jackson, Tennessee

The National Pork Board is administered under the authority of the Pork Promotion, Research, and Consumer Information Act of 1985. It became effective Sept. 5, 1986, when the Pork Promotion, Research, and Consumer Information Order was implemented. Assessments began Nov. 1, 1986.

More information about the board is available on the Agricultural Marketing Service (AMS) National Pork Board webpage and on the National Pork Board website, porkcheckoff.org.

AMS policy is that diversity of the boards, councils and committees it oversees should reflect the diversity of their industries in terms of the experience of members, methods of production and distribution, marketing strategies, and other distinguishing factors, including but not limited to individuals from historically underserved communities, that will bring different perspectives and ideas to the table. Throughout the full nomination process, the industry must conduct extensive outreach, paying particular attention to reaching underserved communities, and consider the diversity of the population served and the knowledge, skills, and abilities of the members to serve a diverse population.

Since 1966, Congress has authorized the development of industry-funded research and promotion boards to provide a framework for agricultural industries to pool their resources and combine efforts to develop new markets, strengthen existing markets and conduct important research and promotion activities. AMS provides oversight of 22 boards, paid for by industry assessments, which helps ensure fiscal accountability and program integrity.

[Source: USDA AMS 22 May 2024]