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The Softwood Lumber Board (SLB) seeks nominations of softwood lumber manufacturers and importers interested in candidacy for Board seats coming open in January 2017. The deadline for nominations is March 4, 2016.

The 19-member board will hold elections to fill six seats for members whose terms expire on Dec. 31, 2016. Domestic manufacturers will fill four seats – two small company representatives from the U.S. South region, one small company representative from the U.S. West region, and one representative from a company of any size from the Northeast and Lake States region. Two seats will be filled by softwood lumber importers – one large company representative from the Canada West region and one company representative from a company of any size from the overseas region. Each member will serve a three-year term.

To be eligible, nominees operating within the regions must manufacture and ship within the United States, or import, at least 15 million board feet of softwood lumber annually. Ballots will be mailed to eligible companies and votes will be tabulated for each region. The top two candidates for each position will be submitted to the Secretary of Agriculture. The Secretary will then appoint members from the pool of candidates receiving the most votes.

The Softwood Lumber Board meets regularly to develop marketing and research programs with the goal of growing markets and benefiting the industry. The national program, which became effective in 2011, is industry-funded and supports the national marketing and promotion of softwood lumber. USDA’s Agricultural Marketing Service (AMS) oversees Board activities.

For more information on this visit Forest Business Network: http://www.forestbusinessnetwork.com/55867/call-for-nominations-softwood-lumber-board-seeks-candidates-3/