Farm Hands

RSS

The Montana Grazing Lands Coalition hired Megan Terry as executive director. California Gov. Gavin Newson appointed Hernan Hernandez of Bakersfield and Rolston St. Hilaire of Clovis to the State Board of Food and Agriculture.

Paul Lewis is the new vice president of food safety standards and regulatory compliance at the International Fresh Produce Association. CropLife America added Victoria Yell as a science policy fellow.

The World Food Prize Foundation announced that former Iowa Governor and U.S. Ambassador to China Terry Branstad will retire as its president Jan. 31, 2025, and be succeeded by Mashal Husain, now the group's chief operating officer. The foundation, based in Des Moines, Iowa, said it would conduct a global search to fill a newly created chief executive officer position.

The Illinois Farm Bureau has filed suit against the American Farm Bureau Federation in an escalating dispute over membership requirements for people who buy insurance from the state organization's affiliate.

Former top ag advisor at the EPA Rod Snyder launched his own consulting firm, Junction Strategies. NASDA hired Patrick Wade as a policy director. Ag policy veteran and current National Council of Farmer Cooperatives leader Chuck Conner announced Monday he will retire at the end of 2025.

The National Chicken Council named Harrison Kircher president and CEO effective Jan. 1. John Altendorf was promoted to legislative director in the office of House Ag Committee member Rep. Brad Finstad, R-Minn. The National Corn Growers Association hired Becky Langer-Curry as director of inputs and innovation. 

Ag policy veteran and current National Council of Farmer Cooperatives leader Chuck Conner announced Monday he will retire in December 2025, initiating the search for a new CEO.

Ag policy veteran Kellie Bray is joining the Global Farmer Network as director of partnerships while also starting her own business, KBray Consulting. Patrick Creamer has officially retired from his post as communications director for the Senate Agriculture Committee.

Andrew Walmsley joined the Council of Producers and Distributors of Agrotechnology as vice president of government relations. Sanah Baig is the new White House senior policy advisor for agriculture and nutrition. 

The new communications director for the Senate Ag Committee GOP staff has been named. Raymond Dobert joined Harambe Ag Consulting as a principal. Ethan Matthews was promoted to vice president of government affairs at Wilbur-Ellis.

The National FFA Organization announced six individuals selected to serve on the 2024-25 officer team. Grace Howe will assume the role of executive director at the Wisconsin Agri-Business Association on Nov. 1. The Biotechnology Innovation Organization hired Karin Hoelzer as senior director of patient advocacy.

Matthew Jaffe was tapped as acting assistant United States trade representative for trade policy coordination. The American Soybean Association promoted Blair Shipp to state policy communications manager.

The National 4-H Council hired Natalie Godwin as vice president of corporate communications. The Meat Institute elected key new officers, executive board members and its full board of directors members for 2025. Corteva appointed Judd O’Connor as executive vice president of the Seed Business Unit effective December 1.

The International Dairy Foods Association made two staff changes. Samuel Alcaine, Ph.D., was hired as Vice President of Regulatory and Scientific Affairs and Jeffrey Cullen was hired as director of video production and digital communications. The Renewable Fuels Association elected new officers. Jeff Oestmann, CEO of Aztalan Bio, was elected chair. 

Harley Janssen is the new director of outputs and measurements at the National Corn Growers Association. He will focus on translating and interpreting production and sustainability data to help growers access new sustainability markets. Brent Boydston started Ag Center Solutions, his own consulting firm. Stefanie Katzman was tapped as CEO of her family’s company, Katzman.