Duane Simpson, vice president and head of North America public affairs, science and sustainability in Bayer's Crop Science Division, will succeed Chuck Conner as president and CEO of the National Council of Farmer Cooperatives. 

Simpson has worked for Bayer and Monsanto, which Bayer acquired in 2018, for 17 years. He has led state and federal government relations, stakeholder affairs, sustainability and product stewardship teams at the company. 

Simpson is the current chairman of the Agriculture and Environment Section of the Biotechnology Industry Organization board of directors and represents Bayer at CropLife America and the American Chemistry Council. 

“Duane’s enthusiasm about the future of agriculture is just what NCFC needs in today’s climate of uncertainty and risks,” said Kevin Brinkley, NCFC chairman and CEO of Plains Cotton Cooperative Association. “His leadership skills will help NCFC navigate the ever-changing terrain of government and markets, ensuring that it continues as one of the country's most relevant and respected agricultural organizations.”

Conner will retire after overseeing NCFC’s federal advocacy for nearly 2,000 local farmer cooperatives and 17 state and regional councils of cooperatives since 2009.

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A Washington agriculture policy veteran, Conner served as a White House ag policy adviser and deputy agriculture secretary in the George W. Bush administration before joining NCFC. He also spent 17 years on Capitol Hill in the office of then-Sen. Richard Lugar of Indiana before becoming Republican staff director on the Senate Agriculture Committee, a position he held for more than 12 years. 

“NCFC’s mission, to advance the business and policy interests of America’s cooperatives and other farmer-owned enterprises, is as vital today as it was when NCFC was founded nearly a century ago,” said Simpson. “I look forward to building upon the strong legacy of advocacy for agriculture that Chuck Conner has established.”

Earlier in his career, Simpson was chief operating officer at the Kansas Grain and Feed Association, where he represented agribusinesses, including farmer-owned co-ops, at the state and federal levels. 

Simpson will assume the role on July 14. 

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