USDA Announces Appointments to the Softwood Lumber Board

The U.S. Department of Agriculture (USDA) today announced the appointment of six members to serve on the Softwood Lumber Board. The appointees will serve three-year terms, beginning immediately, to Dec. 31, 2024.

Newly appointed members include:

• Brian Luoma, Tuscaloosa, Alabama (U.S. South, Flex Seat)
• George Emmerson, Anderson, California (U.S. West, Large Seat)
• Marc Brinkmeyer, Sandpoint, Idaho (U.S. West, Large Seat)
• J D Hankins II, Ripley, Mississippi (U.S. South, Small Seat)
• James Bradley Thorlakson, Vernon, British Columbia, Canada (Importer, Large Seat, Canada West)
• Jerome Pelletier, Saint John, New Brunswick, Canada, (Importer, Flex Seat, Any Region)

The Softwood Lumber Board has 14 members, including 10 domestic manufacturers and four importers. Members can serve up to two consecutive three-year terms.

More information about the board is available on the Agricultural Marketing Service (AMS) Softwood Lumber Board webpage.

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 board should reflect the diversity of its industries in terms of the experience of members, methods of production and distribution, marketing strategies, and other distinguishing factors that will bring different perspectives and ideas to the table. Throughout the full nomination process, the industry must consider the diversity of the population served and the knowledge, skills, and abilities of the members to serve a diverse population.

Source: U.S. Department of Agriculture