Agriculture Secretary Tom Vilsack appointed three members to serve on the Mushroom Council. The appointees will serve 3-year terms beginning Jan. 1, 2017, and ending on Dec. 31, 2019.
Reappointed members are Michael A Stephan, of Chaska, Minn., and Robert Murphy, of Colusa, Calif.
Newly-appointed member Robert Besix is from Toughkenamon, Penn.
Board members selected by the U.S. Secretary of Agriculture administer the program. USDA’s Agricultural Marketing Service (AMS) provides oversight of the 
Mushroom Council in accordance with the Mushroom Promotion, Research, and Consumer Information Act of 1990 and the Mushroom Promotion, Research, and Consumer Information Order. USDA encourages board membership that reflects the diversity of the individuals served by the programs.
Since 1966, Congress has authorized the establishment of 22 research and promotion boards that are industry-funded and empower agricultural industries, including the forest products industry, with a framework to pool resources and combine efforts to develop new markets, strengthen existing markets, and conduct important research and promotion activities. AMS provides oversight, paid for by industry assessments, which helps ensure fiscal responsibility, program efficiency and fair treatment of participating stakeholders.
For more information about research and promotion programs, visit www.ams.usda.gov/FVPromotion. For information on the Council, please contact Kelly Robertson at (202) 720-9915, or email Kelly.Robertson@ams.usda.gov.