USDA Secretary Tom Vilsack appointed one member and one alternate member to serve on the Cotton Board to fill importer vacancies.

"I am pleased that these individuals have agreed to provide their time and expertise," said Vilsack. “I am confident that cotton producers and importers will be well served by them.”

Secretary Vilsack selected Patricia M. Reber of Plymouth, M.N., as the importer member for position #8 whose term expires on Dec. 31, 2014. Tara E. Hoffmann of New York, N.Y., was appointed as the importer alternate member for position #5 whose term expires Dec. 31, 2013.

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Research and promotion programs are self-help programs funded through industry member assessments and administered by board members selected by the Secretary of Agriculture. They are authorized by Congress, and date back to 1966, when Congress passed the Cotton Research and Promotion Act. Since then, Congress has authorized the establishment of 20 research and promotion boards. They empower farmers and ranchers to leverage their own resources to develop new markets and strengthen existing markets by allowing them to conduct promotion, market and production research and new product development for the benefit of their industries.

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