Farm Hands

RSS

Sierra Club California hired Asha Sharma as deputy director. Jessica Bonitz was appointed deputy public adviser at the California Energy Commission. Natural Resources Conservation Service Chief Aubrey Bettencourt has resigned, and Colton Buckley has assumed the role of chief. California Gov. Gavin Newsom made appointments to the Gold Country and Big Fresno Fair Boards. 

Georgia Congressman Austin Scott is positioning himself to become the next Republican leader of the House Agriculture Committee, arguing that his ties to the Trump administration, vision for enhancing farm profitability, and focus on protecting American agriculture from foreign adversaries make him the right leader to guide the panel through the prolonged downturn in the ag economy.

Michael Dykes will retire as president and CEO of the International Dairy Foods Association at the end of the year. Natural Resources Conservation Service Chief Aubrey Bettencourt has resigned, and Colton Buckley has been elevated to lead the agency. 

Justin Parnagian of Fowler Packing Company Inc. was elected chairman of the California Table Grape Commission. Jeremy Cowan was named lead senior program manager at The Livestock Conservancy. California Agriculture Science hired Spencer Tibbitts as senior research agronomist. 

Lobbying and public affairs firm BGR Group hired Kellie Adesina as vice president in the commerce and infrastructure practice. The National Grocers Association promoted Stephanie Johnson and Laura Strange. The Farm Credit Administration named Colin Newman director of the Office of Congressional and Public Affairs. Sarah Trujillo joined the National Cattlemen’s Beef Association as associate director of policy communications.

The Wine Institute promoted Tyler Rudd to vice president of state relations. Vogel Group is opening the firm’s first office in the Western U.S. led by Linley Wilson. Kate Folmar of Sacramento was appointed deputy secretary for communications and external affairs at the California Environmental Protection Agency.

Turner Bridgforth has left the Environmental Protection Agency for the Commodity Futures Trading Commission. Carley Esser McLean departed the Senate Ag Committee to join Missouri Soybeans. John Franz, known as the scientist who discovered glyphosate, has died at 96.

Nicole Elliott was appointed to the California Water Commission. Marie Ussery was appointed to the California Veterinary Medical Board. California Sen. Adam Schiff hired Sami Eastton as a field representative.