Secretary of Agriculture, Mike Johanns, was a busy man this week. Besides the Energy Conference in St. Louis he did a bunch of appointing.

• Agriculture Secretary Mike Johanns today announced the appointment of two members to serve on the Mushroom Council. Robert (Bob) Crouch, Region 3 representative, Escondido, Calif., is reappointed to the council. Paul L. Frederic, Region 2 representative, Kennett Square, Pa., is a newly appointed member on the council. They will serve three-year terms beginning Jan. 1, 2007, and ending on Dec. 31, 2009.

• Agriculture Secretary Mike Johanns today appointed members — two producers, two alternate producers, two importers, and two alternate importers — to serve on the Hass Avocado Board. The reappointed members are: H. Leonard Francis, producer member, Temecula, Calif; Tom Markle, alternate producer member, Escondido, Calif; and Luke G. Sears, alternate importer member, Bronx, N.Y.

  The newly appointed members are: Charles W. Froehlich, Jr., producer member, Escondido; Anat Ariav, alternate producer member, Somis, Calif; Galen K. Newhouse, Temecula, and Jimmy D. Lotufo, Cincinnati, Ohio, importer members; and Nilda Mesistrano-Hyde, alternate importer member, Sausalito, Calif.

  The members and alternates will serve three-year terms beginning Nov. 1, 2006, and ending Oct. 31, 2009.

• Agriculture Secretary Mike Johanns today renewed the Agricultural Air Quality Task Force (AAQTF) and named 29 individuals to serve as members. Members will serve two-year terms that will end September 30, 2008. AQTF advises the Secretary on agricultural air quality issues. Its mandate is to strengthen and coordinate USDA’s air quality research efforts and identify cost-effective ways to help the agriculture industry improve air quality and meet federal and local air quality emissions requirements.

• Secretary of Agriculture Mike Johanns today appointed four members to the Lamb Promotion, Research, and Information Board. All appointees will serve 3-year terms beginning January 27, 2007. Appointed members are: Margaret C. Magruder of Oregon and Florence M. Cubiburu of California representing producers; Kevin R. Quam of Colorado representing first-handlers; and Arthur (Chico) H. Denis III of Texas representing feeders.

  The 13-member board is composed of six producers, three feeders, one seedstock producer and three first-handlers. The Secretary appoints about one-third of all board members each year.