Newly Appointed National Processed Raspberry Council

Newly Appointed National Processed Raspberry Council

I’m Lacy Gray with Washington Ag Today.

Nearly three years ago the Washington Red Raspberry Commission approached the USDA Agricultural Marketing Service for help in developing a national program to promote processed raspberries. Since that time AMS has worked with the WRRC to set up the new Processed Raspberry Promotion, Research and Information program. Marlene Betts, Deputy Director for the Promotion and Economics Division - Fruit and Vegetable Program with AMS talks about that process.

BETTS: We set up the regulation and that’s kind of the outline for how this council or this board will function. It sets up the representation from the various locations - so producers are on the board, they have importers seated on the board, and those members are appointed by the Secretary of Agriculture.

Betts says they just received those appointments in April, which means they can officially hold the first meeting of the National Processed Raspberry Council.

BETTS: Which is going to be on June 3rd and 4th in Seattle. Those board members that were appointed by the Secretary are going to get together and decide a budget. Their ultimate goal obviously is to promote processed raspberries, do research, information - basically the core of what all research and promotion programs do.

The public is also welcome to attend these meetings.

BETTS: These are open meetings, so if anybody’s interested they can drop by and see what’s going on, whether they produce, or not, raspberries.

The June 3rd through the 4th meeting will be held at the SeaTac Marriott. For further information visit ams.usda.gov.

I’m Lacy Gray and that’s Washington Ag Today on the Ag Information Network.