The U.S. Department of Agriculture’s Agricultural Marketing Service is seeking nominees for the American Lamb Board to succeed one producer with 101 to 500 lambs, one producer with more than 500 lambs, one feeder with 5,000 or more lambs, and one first handler, all with terms that expire in early 2026. Any U.S. producer, feeder or first handler who owns or purchases lambs may be considered for nomination. The Secretary of Agriculture will select individuals from the nominations submitted.
The American Sheep Industry Association is approved by USDA to submit nominations for these openings. Producers who are interested should complete the nomination form and return it to ASI Executive Director Peter Orwick at [email protected] by August 22, 2025.
The upcoming vacancies for producers—one position for a producer with 101 or less lambs (Region II, Producer—Jeff Ebert is NOT eligible for reappointment) and one position for a producer with greater than 500 lambs (Region II, Producer—Gary Visintainer is NOT eligible for reappointment). The producers can be from either region.
Producers, feeders and first handlers must be nominated by certified nominating organizations and submit a completed application.
The 13-member board was established to maintain and expand the market for sheep and sheep products. A list of certified nominating organizations, the nomination form and information about the Lamb Board are available on the AMS American Lamb Board webpage and on the boards website, https://www.lambresourcecenter.com/. For more information, contact Barbara Josselyn at (202) 713-6918 or [email protected].
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.
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.
USDA/AMS requires two nominations for each open position.
National Sheep Industry Improvement Center – Nominations
The U.S. Department of Agriculture’s Agricultural Marketing Service is seeking nominees for one producer position and one expert in finance and management to serve three-year terms on the National Sheep Industry Improvement Center Board of Directors.
The American Sheep Industry Association is approved by USDA to submit nominations for these openings. Producers who are interested should complete the nomination form and return it to ASI Executive Director Peter Orwick at [email protected] by August 22, 2025.
The center’s board of directors is comprised of seven voting members and two non-voting members. Voting members include four active U.S. sheep producers, two members with expertise in finance and management and one member with expertise in lamb or wool product marketing. Non-voting members include USDA’s Under Secretary for Marketing and Regulatory Programs and Under Secretary for Research, Education and Economics.
The Sheep Industry Improvement Center was established as part of the 2008 Farm Bill and administers a grant program designed to improve the competitiveness of the U.S. sheep industry by strengthening and enhancing the production and marketing of sheep and sheep products.
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.
For more information, contact Barbara Josselyn at (202) 713-6918 or [email protected].