Articles by Hannah Pagel

Donald Wirz will become the new president of the San Benito County Farm Bureau and the California Manufacturers and Technology Association has brought on Robert Spiegel.

Chuck Magro has been tapped to serve as the new CEO at Corteva and the Chesapeake Bay Foundation has selected Hilary Harp Falk as the organization’s next CEO and president.

After a 55-year career in the California agriculture industry, Leroy Goehring has retired and after 21 years as the California state auditor, Elaine Howle will retire at the end of the year.

President Joe Biden has announced his intent to nominate Jessica Rosenworcel and Gigi Sohn as commissioners of the Federal Communications Commission and Martha Williams as the director of the Fish and Wildlife Services at the Department of Interior.

Ocean Mist Farms has promoted Christopher Drew to president and CEO and Michele Melillo now serves as the vice president of grower support services for Sun World International.

Laura Batcha, the longtime leader of the Organic Trade Association, plans to step down in the spring of 2022, and Michael Torrey Associates has welcomed Julie McClure to its team as a director of government affairs.

Gov. Gavin Newsom has appointed Christine Birdsong to serve as undersecretary of the California Department of Food and Agriculture, the department’s number two position.

Rod Snyder has been picked to be the Environmental Protection Agency’s new agriculture adviser, and former Rep. Xochitl Torres Small has been confirmed by the Senate to become the Agriculture Department’s undersecretary for rural development.

Angela Fraser has been promoted at the California Avocado Commission and USDA announces new staff additions.

The Department of Agriculture has announced new key staff positions, and the former CEO of the American Soybean Association, Ryan Findlay, has joined Farmers Edge.