National Sheep Industry Improvement Center; Solicitation of Nominations of Board Members

AGENCY:

Rural Business-Cooperative Service, USDA.

ACTION:

Notice: Invitation to submit nominations.

SUMMARY:

The Rural Business-Cooperative Service (RBS) announces that it is accepting nominations for the Board of Directors of the National Sheep Industry Improvement Center for two directors' positions whose terms are expiring on February 13, 2001. Both positions are for voting members; one is for an active producer of sheep or goats and the other position is for a person with expertise in lamb, wool, goat, or goat product marketing. Board members manage and oversee the Center's activities. Nominations may only be submitted by National organizations that consist primarily of active sheep or goat producers in the United States and who have as their primary interest the production of sheep or goats in the United States. Nominating organizations should submit:

(1) Substantiation that the nominating organization is national in scope,

(2) The number and percent of members that are active sheep or goat producers,

(3) Substantiation of the primary interests of the organization, and

(4) An Advisory Committee Membership Background Information form (Form AD-755) for each nominee.

This action is taken to carry out section 759 of the Federal Agriculture Improvement and Reform Act of 1996, as amended, for the establishment of a National Sheep Industry Improvement Center.

DATES:

The closing date for acceptance of nominations is November 6, 2000. Nominations must be received by, or postmarked, on or before, this date.

ADDRESSES:

Submit nominations and statements on qualifications to Cooperative Services, RBS, USDA, 1400 Independence Ave., SW, Stop 3252, Room 4204, Washington, DC 20250-3252, Attn.: National Sheep Improvement Center, Nominations.

FOR FURTHER INFORMATION CONTACT:

Dr. Thomas H. Stafford, Director, Cooperative Marketing Division, Cooperative Services, RBS, USDA, 1400 Independence Ave, SW, Stop 3252, Washington, DC 20250-3252, telephone (202) 690-0369, (This is not a toll free number.) FAX 202-690-2723, or e-mail thomas.stafford@usda.gov.

SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION:

The Federal Agriculture Improvement and Reform Act of 1996, known as the 1996 Farm Bill, established a National Sheep Industry Improvement Center. The Center shall (1) promote strategic development activities and collaborative efforts by private and State entities to maximize the impact of Federal assistance to strengthen and enhance production and marketing of sheep or goat products in the United States; (2) optimize the use of available human capital and resources within the sheep or goat industries; (3) provide assistance to meet the needs of the sheep or goat industry for infrastructure development, business development, production, resource development, and market and environmental research; (4) advance activities that empower and build the capacity of the United States sheep or goat industry to design unique responses to special needs of the sheep or goat industries on both a regional and national basis; and (5) adopt flexible and innovative approaches to solving the long-term needs of the United States sheep or goat industry. The Center has a Revolving Fund established in the Treasury to carry out the purposes of the Center. Management of the Center is vested in a Board of Directors, which has hired an Executive Director and other staff to operate the Center.

The Board of Directors is composed of seven voting members of whom four are active producers of sheep or goats in the United States, two have expertise in finance and management, and one has expertise in lamb, wool, goat or goat product marketing. Both of the open positions are for voting members; one is for an active producer of sheep or goats in the United States and the other position is for a person with expertise in lamb, wool, goat, or goat product marketing. The Board also includes two non-voting members, the Under Secretary of Agriculture for Rural Development and the Under Secretary of Agriculture for Research, Education, and Economics. Board members will not receive compensation for serving on the Board of Directors, but shall be reimbursed for travel, subsistence, and other necessary expenses.

The Secretary of Agriculture shall appoint the voting members from the submitted nominations. Member's term of office shall be three years. Voting members are limited to two terms. The two positions for which nominees are sought are currently held by members serving their second term, thus they are not eligible to be re-nominated. The Board shall meet not less than once each fiscal year, but are likely to meet at least quarterly.

The statement of qualifications of the individual nominees is being obtained by using Form AD-755, “Advisory Committee Membership Background Information.” The requirements of this form are incorporated under OMB number 0505-0001.