Marie Bucko is leaving USDA's Office of the U.S. Chief Veterinary Officer, where she has been chief of staff. She will become executive director of global public policy and stakeholder engagement with Merck Animal Health. Bucko’s final day at USDA is March 7.
The Food and Drug Administration named Kyle Diamantas acting deputy commissioner for human foods following Jim Jones’ resignation last week. Diamantas will oversee the agency’s nutrition and food safety effort and serve as a “critical liaison” between the FDA and the Department of Health and Human Services, according to his new biography. Diamantas is an attorney in Florida who worked with food and beverage industry clients at Jones Day.
The Poultry Federation hired Blake Rollins as executive vice president, supporting the poultry and egg industry in Arkansas, Missouri and Oklahoma. Rollins was chief administrative officer at the Missouri Farm Bureau and was deputy chief of staff at USDA.
Blake Rollins, The Poultry Federation (Photo: The Poultry Federation)Dave Gagner left the National Fish and Wildlife Foundation to launch his own consulting firm, Compass Conservation Strategies. He and his partners will focus on conservation policy.
The Iowa Soybean Association hired Katie Hall as senior director of advocacy. She previously worked for the Iowa Institute for Cooperatives and most recently as director of state and local government relations at Cargill based in Iowa.
The National Rural Electric Cooperative Association promoted Stephen Bell to senior vice president of communications. He was previously vice president of advocacy press and member communications. Before his 10 years at NRECA, Bell worked for Rep. Steve Scalise, R-La.
House Energy and Commerce Committee Republicans hired Zach Bannon as press secretary. Bannon was press secretary for the campaign of Eric Hovde, the Republican nominee for U.S. Senate from Wisconsin last year.
Meristem hired Dan Hennessy as chief financial officer. He worked at Land O’Lakes for 18 years leading crop protection, turf products and animal nutrition areas, including service in Africa. He most recently was vice president of marketing for the animal nutrition business.
Lauren Santabar is the new Democratic staff director for the Senate Ag Committee under ranking member Amy Klobuchar’s leadership. Santabar was previously legislative director in Klobuchar’s personal office.
The National Corn Growers Association promoted Krista Swanson to chief economist. She was lead economist for two years. Prior to joining NCGA in 2023, Swanson was a research specialist for the Gardner Agricultural Policy Program at the University of Illinois Urbana-Champaign.
Diane Cullo is now assistant administrator at the U.S. Small Business Administration. She previously worked as a consultant doing external relations, public affairs and strategic communications work for DLC Communications.
Senate Majority Leader John Thune, R-S.D., appointed Megan Lacy Owen chief counsel; she was counsel for Sen. Charles Grassley, R-Iowa, and most recently issues and appeals partner at Jones Day. Stacey Daniels, former communications director for Sen. Cynthia Lummis, R-Wyo., and Rep. Lisa McClain, R-Mich., was named press secretary. Maggie Abboud was hired as deputy press secretary. Abboud previously worked for Nebraska Republican Sen. Deb Fischer.
Patrick Johnson, National Cotton Council Chairman. (Photo: National Cotton Council)The National Cotton Council selected Patrick Johnson of Tunica, Miss., as 2025 chairman. Johnson is a partner in a family farming operation growing cotton, rice, corn, soybeans and wheat. NCC vice presidents are David Blakemore of White Oak, Mo.; Joe Tillman of Oakland, Tenn.; Hank N. Reichle Jr., of Greenwood, Miss.; Raymond Faus of Richardson, Texas; Sammy Wright of Tifton, Ga.; and Mike Quinn of Sanford, N.C. Mark McKean from Riverdale, Calif., was re-elected secretary-treasurer.
Shuda Jarboe was promoted from coordinator to manager of global programs at the U.S. Grains Council, predominantly responsible for export development efforts in Asia.
The nongovernmental organization 38 North hired Tyler Clevenger as director. Clevenger was previously an environmental protection specialist at the Department of Transportation.
Jay Jandrain, president and CEO of Butterball, was selected as 2025 chair of the National Turkey Federation. Additional officers include Christy Puffenbarger of Aviagen Turkeys as vice chair, Leon Fletcher of Cargill as secretary-treasurer and John Zimmerman of P&J Products as immediate past chair.
Sen. Catherine Cortez Masto, D-Nev., hired Arturo Gutierrez as press secretary. He was previously press secretary and digital director for Rep. Dan Goldman, D-N.Y.
The House Republican Study Committee hired Calli Cooper as communications director. She is a graduate of West Virginia State University.
Cotton Council International elected 2025 officers Carlo Bocardo, Bakersfield, Calif., president; John C. King III, Richardson, Texas, first vice president; Richard Gaona, producer from Roby, Texas, second vice president; Gary Adams, Cordova, Tenn., secretary; and Bruce Atherley of Washington, D.C., assistant secretary. Wayne Boseman, Garner, N.C., was elected treasurer. 
Emanuel Lazopoulos (Photo: Church Brothers Farms)
Baz Selassie was named legislative director in the personal office of Senate Ag Committee ranking member Amy Klobuchar, D-Minn. Selassie was previously counsel to Klobuchar on the Senate Judiciary Committee.
Former New Mexico USDA Rural Development State Director Patricia Dominguez is joining the staff of Rep. Teresa Leger Fernandez, D-N.M., as district director. Before her tenure at USDA during the Biden administration, Dominguez worked for Sen. Martin Heinrich, D-N.M.
Robert Thurber is retiring from the Church Brothers Farms board of directors. He was formerly vice president of purchasing at Sysco Corp. and a board member at Tyson Foods. Emanuel Lazopoulos, former senior vice president for Del Monte Fresh Produce, will fill Thurber’s position. Lazopoulos founded Pessagno Winery and NewStar Fresh Foods and was vice president at both DNA Plant Technology and Dole.
Freshman Rep. Tony Wied, R-Wis., hired Joe Bachar as a legislative assistant covering public lands, natural resources, energy and transportation. Bachar worked for the Congressional Sportsmen's Foundation and Rep. Mike Gallagher, R-Wis.
Ana Unruh Cohen was named Democratic staff director for the House Natural Resources Committee. She was senior director for the National Environmental Policy Act, clean energy and infrastructure at the White House Council on Environmental Quality in the Biden administration.
Former Sen. David Boren, a member of the Senate Agriculture Committee during his three terms (1979-94), died Feb. 20 at home in Norman, Oklahoma. He was 83. Boren was the last Democrat to win a Senate seat in Oklahoma. He was in the House from 1967-74 and governor of Oklahoma from 1975-79 before running for the Senate. He resigned from the Senate in 1994 to become president of the University of Oklahoma, serving for 24 years before retiring in 2018.
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