WASHINGTON, D.C. — The USDA has appointed 13 dairy farmers to the National Dairy Promotion and Research Board, including five new members, with most set to serve 3-year terms through Oct. 31, 2028.

One appointee will fill the remainder of a vacant term ending Oct. 31, 2026. The appointments, announced in early April, complete the latest round of USDA-appointed leadership updates for the national dairy checkoff structure.

Following USDA’s announcement, Dairy Management Inc. (DMI) reported newly elected and continuing officers across its three affiliated boards: DMI, the National Dairy Board (NDB), and the United Dairy Industry Association (UDIA).

DMI officers elected are:

• Chair: Marilyn Hershey, Cochranville, Pa.
• Vice chair – Mary Kraft, Fort Morgan, Colo.
• Secretary – Roger Fluegel, Visalia, Calif.
• Treasurer – Becky Nyman, Hilmar, Calif.

NDB elected the following officers:

• Chair – Lolly Lesher, Bernville, Pa.
• Vice chair – Marv Post, Volga, S.D.
• Secretary – Arlene VanderEyk, Tulare, Calif.
• Treasurer – Gail Klinkner, Viroqua, Wis.

UDIA officers elected are:

• Chair – Charles Krause, Buffalo, Minn.
• 1st v.c. – Kris Wardin, St. Johns, Mich.
• 2nd v.c. – Audrey Donahoe, Clayville, N.Y.
• Secretary – Daniel Buttars, Lewiston, Utah
• Treasurer – Tom Walsh, De Graff, Minn.

National Dairy Council officers are:

• Chair – Audrey Donahoe
• Vice chair – Perry Tjaarda, Shafter, Calif.
• Secretary – Sutton Rucks, Okeechobee, Fla.
• Treas. – Michael Ferguson, Senatobia, Miss.

New and returning board members

USDA’s newly appointed NDB members include Frank Konyn of Escondido, California (Region 2); Thomas Enneking of Centralia, Kansas (Region 4, partial term); Eddie Schaap of Clovis, New Mexico (Region 4); Brian DeMann of Kalamazoo, Michigan (Region 9); and John Harrison of Philadelphia, Tennessee (Region 10).

Eight members were reappointed to new terms: Jenn De Boer, Roger Fluegel, Becky Nyman, and Ted Pedrozo, all of California (Region 2); David C. Roberts of Beaver, Utah (Region 3); Gail Klinkner of Wisconsin (Region 6); Lolly Lesher of Pennsylvania (Region 11); and Val Lavigne of Schaghticoke, New York (Region 12).

Checkoff structure

According to USDA Agricultural Marketing Service (AMS), which oversees commodity checkoff programs, the National Dairy Promotion and Research Board is composed of 37 dairy farmer members appointed by USDA to represent 12 geographic regions, along with one importer representative.

The Board was established under the Dairy Production Stabilization Act of 1983 to administer national promotion and research programs aimed at increasing demand for dairy products.

Separate from the National Dairy Board, UDIA is made up of representatives elected by state and regional dairy promotion organizations. DMI serves as the coordinating body, with leadership drawn from both NDB and UDIA boards.