State Sen. Anna Caballero, a Democrat representing Merced, Madera and Fresno counties, was named chair of the California Assembly's Senate Committee on Agriculture. In a news release, she said she will focus on critical issues like water quality and scarcity, waste, recycling, farmworker retraining, protecting working natural lands and climate change. “I look forward to solutions that support our farmers, farmworkers, and the future of California agriculture,” she said.
Dorene D’Adamo of Turlock was reappointed by California Gov. Gavin Newsom to continue serving on the California State Water Resources Control Board. Prior to joining the board in 2013, she was a member of the California Air Resources Board from 1999 to 2013. D’Adamo spent a portion of her career on Capitol Hill as a staffer for California Democratic Reps. Jim Costa, Dennis Cardoza, and Gary Condit. An attorney by trade, D’Adamo has also held roles with the Law Offices of Perry and Wildman and as legal counsel at the California State Assembly Committee on Public Safety from 1986 to 1988.
Reservoir Farms hired Leticia Hernandez as Salinas site manager. She was previously FARMS alumni and internship manager at the Center for Land-Based Learning. Hernandez is president of Local Urban Gardners, a role she’s held for the past 12 years.
Michael Watson, administrator of USDA's Animal and Plant Health Inspection Service, is retiring at the end of January. Rosemary Sifford, deputy administrator for Veterinary Services and U.S. chief veterinary officer, recently retired. Starting Feb. 1, Kelly Moore will serve as acting APHIS administrator. Moore is currently acting chief operating officer for USDA’s Marketing and Regulatory Programs mission area and acting deputy administrator of Marketing and Regulatory Programs Business Services. Alan Huddleston will serve as the acting chief veteri
Anna Caballero (Anna Caballero photo)nary officer. Adis Dijaba, associate deputy administrator for Veterinary Services, will continue to oversee that section. Watson joined USDA n 1994 as a plant pathologist in the Agricultural Research Service. He later served in several leadership roles across APHIS. Sifford joined USDA in 1997 as a Saul T. Wilson scholar and served in various roles in APHIS.
Gabriel Allen of Portola Valley was appointed chief counsel at the California state Office of Environmental Health Hazard Assessment. He was previously a senior attorney at the United States Department of Justice Environmental Enforcement Section. Earlier, he was a Law Clerk in the United States District Court for the Northern District of Alabama.
Sharon Bomer Lauritsen, agricultural trade consultant at AgTrade Strategies, has retired. She held numerous roles in the space, including assistant U.S. trade representative for agricultural affairs in the Office of the U.S. Trade Representative, executive vice president of food and agriculture at the Biotechnology Innovation Organization, and associate deputy administrator for fruit and vegetable programs at the Agriculture Department.
The United Egg Producers hired Donald Grady as vice president of government affairs to lead the group’s newly established office in Washington. The move will expand the organization’s lobbying footprint at the federal level, increasing visibility and engagement with lawmakers, regulators, and industry stakeholders, the group said in a press release. Grady worked at the International Dairy Foods Association for the past nearly eight years, recently as senior director of legislative affairs.
The U.S. Wheat Associates made staff hires and promotions for the new year. Tyllor Ledford, market analyst in the USW West Coast Office in Portland, Oregon, will move to Manila, Philippines, in late spring to assume the role of assistant regional director for South and Southeast Asia. Ledford joined the organization in 2021 and recently has been responsible for the weekly USW Price Report. Joe Bippert, based in the Manila office, was promoted to r
Donald Grady (UEP photo)egional director. He joined the office in 2021 as the assistant regional director. Prior to joining USW, Bippert served as the program director for the Washington Grain Commission in Spokane, Washington. Zakaria Jallali, a graduate of the Moroccan Milling School, will join USW’s Middle Eastern, East and North African region staff. Additionally, Heather Wagner will join the USW office in Cape Town, South Africa, as the administrative assistant Feb. 1.
Chris Galen retired from the National Milk Producers Federation after 28 years with the organization and 38 years working in Washington, D.C. Galen was senior vice president of communications and most recently, senior vice president of member services and strategic initiatives at NMPF.
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John Dillard was promoted to co-managing principal attorney at Olsson Frank Weeda Terman Matz PC. He has been with the group for 15 years, recently as principal.
Kylie Gregory joined the House Agriculture Committee Republican staff as a legislative assistant. She previously worked for the Responsible Industry for a Strong Environment (RISE) and CropLife America. Gregory is a graduate of Texas A&M University.
Clint Mefford was promoted to chief of staff for U.S. operations at Zoetis. He has been with the company nearly five years, recently as head of communications and marketing operations for U.S. livestock. Earlier, he was director of communications at the American Angus Association.
The American Feed Industry Association hired new staff members. Alison Foster was named manager of policy engagement, a new role designed to work across association functions to coordinate advocacy initiatives and support the development of the association’s federal and state policy priorities. Foster previously worked at the National Council of Farmer Cooperatives and the Education Finance Council. Mary Gray Holdren joins the AFIA as manager of education programs in a second newly created position focused on designing and delivering professional educational content. Holdren was recently an agri-business specialist at Mountaire Farms in North Carolina. Additionally, Margo Nagle joins AFIA as a communications specialist. She is a recent Ohio State University graduate with experience in communications internships with the Federal Reserve Board of Governors and the Franklin County Auditor’s Office in Ohio.
Joe Sanders
(Daugherty Water for Food Global Institute photo)The Daugherty Water for Food Global Institute at the University of Nebraska named Joe Sanders as executive director effective Feb. 1. He succeeds Peter McCornick who stepped down after 2025.
The National Electrical Manufacturers Association hired Bridget Bartol as executive director of grid sector industry and regulatory affairs. She was previously deputy chief of staff and senior adviser to the secretary at the Department of Energy during the Biden administration.
Shawn Whitman was promoted principal deputy undersecretary of science at the Department of Energy. He has worked there over a year, recently as a senior adviser to Secretary Chris Wright. Earlier, he was vice president of external and government affairs at FMC Corporation and chief of staff to Sen. John Barrasso, R-Wy.
J.T. Mann joined the National Pest Management Association as manager of public policy focused on federal affairs and PAC management. He was previously manager of government affairs at Miller/Wenhold, and earlier a government relations assistant at LobbyIt.
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