House Ag Committee member Doug LaMalfa, R-Calif., has been elected chairman of the Congressional Western Caucus. He is a fourth-generation rice farmer and business owner who has lived in Northern California all his life. LaMalfa succeeds Rep. Dan Newhouse, R-Wash. 
Jim Roberts, Naturipe
Naturipe promoted Jim Roberts to president. Previously president of sales, Roberts will oversee product development and innovation as it seeks to continue significant product expansion in his new position. He brings more than two years of experience.
USDA appointed four new members to the Christmas Tree Promotion Board with three-year terms beginning Jan. 1. They are Jan Hupp and Kari Puffer of Oregon, representing the Western region, Gary Thomas of Maryland, representing the Eastern region, and Ryan Tyce of Ontario, Canada, as the importer. The Christmas Tree Promotion Board has 12 members.
John Guy has left his position as senior manager for emerging companies policy at the Biotechnology Innovation Organization. He is now with the Prism Group as a senior director.
USDA's Food Safety and Inspection Service named 25-year veteran Denise Eblen, now FSIS assistant administrator for the Office of Public Health Science, as agency administrator. Paul Kiecker is the new assistant administrator in the Office of Investigation, Enforcement and Audit. Both changes take effect Dec. 9.
Andrew Weber, recently retired Farm Journal CEO, joined the advisory board at Emergent Connext. His agriculture media and sustainability background will support the company’s development of network solutions to address agriculture issues through rural internet providers.
The Congressional Hunger Center announced a new member and chair for the organization’s board. Katharine Emerson, chief of staff for World Food Program USA, is the new chair. She previously held positions in political engagement and public policy with Bayer and National Corn Growers Association. Claire Casey, president of AARP Foundation, also joined the group’s board of directors.
Chuck Abbott, one of the longest serving agricultural policy journalists in D.C., announced he will retire as lead writer of the Food and Environmental Reporting Network’s Ag Insider. Abbott has published more than 10,000 articles during his career. Theodore Ross, editor-in-chief at FERN, said in a post, “We must also announce that his retirement brings Ag Insider to an end at FERN. It is a day worth marking.” A native of a farm in Illinois, Abbott was a long-time Reuters commodities writer and national farm editor for United Press International before joining FERN.
The American Agricultural Law Association welcomed its new president-elect, Ashley Ellixson of Arizona, and directors Chelsea Good of Kansas and Kale Van Bruggen of Minnesota. They join the new president, Brandon Davis of Louisiana; immediate past president, Jake Parker of North Carolina; and returning directors Marisa Bocci of Washington state, Whitney Ivey of North Carolina, Cort Jensen of Montana and Kristine Tidgren of Iowa on the board.
The Farm Credit Administration selected Zachary Lund as deputy chief of staff, a newly created role. Lund, who has worked at FCA since 2013, has been executive assistant to chairman Vincent Logan since 2013. Luke Gallegos, an FCA examiner and senior policy analyst, has been selected to take over as acting executive assistant to Logan.
Mike Spier, vice president of overseas operations at U.S. Wheat Associates, was elected president and CEO to succeed Vince Peterson, who will retire July 1, 2025. Spier has traveled to more than 50 countries, gaining experience in grain merchandising, international wheat trading, market analy
Mike Spier (right), USW Vice President of Overseas Operations, has been selected to replace Vince Peterson (left) as the organization’s next President and CEO, effective July 1, 2025. (Photo: U.S. Wheat Associates)sis and negotiation of ocean freight contracts.
The Rural Broadband Association announced new officers for 2025. They include Roxie Jorgenson of Alaska, a director at MTA, as chair; Ben Foster of Kansas, president and CEO of ISG Technology and Twin Valley Telephone, vice chair; and Ross Petrick of South Dakota, general manager/CEO of Alliance Communications Cooperative, secretary/treasurer. Terry Nelson of Minnesota, general manager and vice president of Woodstock Communications, was elected as a new board member.
Adrienne Anderson was appointed interim chief financial officer at AgEagle. Founder and owner of Anderson Accounting and Consulting, she has focused on helping public companies with financial reporting, SEC filings and technical accounting matters.
Pivot Bio added Jason Hoag as head of North American commercial distribution. A former Bayer Crop Science vice president of North American marketing, he oversaw retail distributed brands. Hoag will be based in St. Louis and report to chief commercial officer Chris Turner.
John Guy has left his position as senior manager for emerging companies policy at the Biotechnology Innovation Organization. He is now with the Prism Group as a senior director.
Andrea Swenson, associate research scientist at Marshfield Clinic Research Institute, is the new director at the National Children's Center. She joined the center in 2019 with research family dynamics, individual development and social environments in rural and agricultural communities. She succeeds Barbara Lee, the only director in the center’s 27-year history.
USDA announced the appointment of 18 members of the National Peanut Board. Five members and alternates will serve two-year terms until Dec. 31, 2026, and four members and alternates will serve three-year terms ending Dec. 31, 2027. Read more about the appointees here.
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