Claudia Larson has been tapped as the new president and CEO of the Edible Oil Producers Association. She previously worked for the National Milk Producers Federation, where she most recently was the senior director of government relations and head of nutrition policy. Before that, she was the communications director for Rep. Jim Costa, D-Calif. She will replace Kailee Tkacz Buller, who recently accepted the new role of president and CEO of the National Oilseed Processors Association after three years with EOPA.
Claudia Larson, EOPACorey Scott has been selected as the new CEO of Midwest Dairy, effective March 13. She will be transitioning from retiring CEO Molly Pelzer, who announced her departure last fall. Scott previously was the vice president of sales and marketing for Athian. Before that, she held several leadership roles with Land O’Lakes and its sustainability division, Truterra.
Housing and Urban Development Secretary Marcia Fudge is leaving the Biden administration on March 22, when she will retire from public service and head back to Ohio. Fudge was elected to the House of Representatives in 2008 in a special election and resigned in 2021 when she took on her current role. During that time she sat on the House Agriculture Committee and was a strong supporter of the Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program. The White House has appointed Deputy Secretary Adrianne Todman as the acting HUD secretary following Fudge’s departure.
The American Seed Trade Association has promoted Pat Miller to senior director of special projects and Jordan Gregory to director of state government affairs. Miller has been with ASTA since 2007 and has led the organization’s state government affairs portfolio and ASTA’s Seed Advocate program. Gregory joined ASTA in 2021 after working for the Texas Department of Agriculture as a policy specialist. She most recently was ASTA’s manager of membership engagement.
Randi Hutchinson has left USDA, where she was the chief of staff for the Rural Utilities Service. She has returned to Greenberg Traurig, where she is counsel for its federal government, law and policy practice.
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Eric Jones has moved to the office of Sen. Michael Bennet, D-Colo., to be the new deputy communications director. He previously worked for Rep. Josh Harder, D-Calif., as his press secretary and digital director.
Jenna Hintz has been promoted to customer sustainability manager at Cargill. She previously was a senior farm marketer based in Iowa.
Megan Schnell now works for Corteva Agriscience as the North America regional strategic planning manager. She previously worked for Accenture as a tech innovation strategy consultant.
Saydee Longhurst is the new state office programs facilitator at the National FFA Organization. She is a graduate research and teaching assistant at Utah State University.
The National Pork Producers Council has inducted new officers to its board of directors. Serving as president is Lori Stevermer of Minnesota. She is a co-owner of Trail’s End Farm. She succeeds Scott Hays of Missouri, who will serve as the immediate past president. Duane Stateler was elected as president-elect. He is a fifth-generation Ohio pork producer and co-operates Stateler Family Farms with his son. Rob Brenneman has been tapped as the new vice president. He owns Brenneman Pork in Iowa. Newly elected to the NPPC board includes Edward Reed of Michigan and Neill Westerbeek of North Carolina.
The National Farmers Union has wrapped up its national convention in Scottsdale, Arizona, and reelected its slate of officers. Rob Larew will serve another term as president, and Jeff Kippley was reelected as vice president.
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