Lydia Johnson

The Trump administration’s big farm aid package is expected to be announced next week, and Deputy Agriculture Secretary Stephen Vaden tells Agri-Pulse “a wide variety of commodity crops” will be eligible for the program.

House lawmakers could roll out a compromise on a defense policy bill today as Republicans weigh how to handle potential security concerns from Chinese-made drones.

The North American Blueberry Council elected new members to the board of directors. Anna K. Jesse of Cornelius, Oregon, was added as the U.S. North American grower representative. She has worked for Forest Hills Farms for the past nine years, recently as vice president. Manolo Reyes was added as the Mexican North American Grower representative. He is North America chief executive officer at Berries Paradise Official. Chad Hansen was named the North American distributor representative. Bo Slack, district manager at California Giant Berry Farms, is returning to the board as the North American distributor representative. 

The International Dairy Foods Association hired Chelsie Keys as senior vice president of government relations. Seth Meyer, USDA's chief economist for nearly five years, will lead the University of Missouri’s Food and Agricultural Policy Research Institute beginning Jan. 1. Luther Markwart, CEO at the American Sugarbeet Growers Association for the past 44 years, will retire at the end of 2026. 

Luther Markwart, CEO and executive vice president at the American Sugarbeet Growers Association for the past 44 years, will retire at the end of 2026, according to an announcement from the group’s board of directors. 

The California Association of Winegrape Growers elected new officers, including John Chandler of Chandler Farms in Selma as chair of the board. Friant Water Authority CEO Jason Phillips announced his intention to step down in January. The Agriculture Workforce Coalition elected American Farm Bureau Federation President Zippy Duvall and Western Growers President and CEO Dave Puglia as the new coalition co-chairs. Former California Ag Leadership Foundation CEO Dwight Ferguson joined the Vanguard Food LP board of managers. 

The U.S. Agricultural Export Development Council elected Karen Horan from the National Confectioners Association as chair. The Agriculture Workforce Coalition elected American Farm Bureau Federation President Zippy Duvall and Western Growers President and CEO Dave Puglia as the new coalition co-chairs. The Seed Innovation Protection Alliance tapped Chris Reat as executive director. The U.S. Soybean Export Council hired Randall Wanke as industry affairs manager.

President Donald Trump will continue a decades-long tradition of pardoning Thanksgiving turkeys at the White House this week. The birds’ grower, Travis Pittman from North Carolina, presented his birds in Washington on Monday. 

The European Union’s legislative and executive bodies are at odds over how to move forward with bringing deforestation regulations into effect. 

The California Farm Water Coalition named Michelle Paul as executive director. Julia Inestroza was elected as chair of California Citrus Mutual. B. John Lindeman was promoted to president and chief executive officer of Calavo Growers, succeeding Lee E. Cole. Ellie Gilchrist was promoted to communications director in the office of Rep. Young Kim, R-Calif.  The U.S. Meat Export Federation elected Jay Theiler from Agri Beef Company as chair.