Jamison Cruce left his position as vice president of government relations at USA Rice to launch his own firm, Cruce Capitol Consulting. Jake Westlin, former vice president at the National Association of Wheat Growers, will succeed Cruce at USA Rice. The Senate Ag Committee Republicans hired Carlye Winfrey as a legislative aide. Growth Energy hired Jared Henderson and Emma Keiser as directors of government affairs.
Martha Smith was promoted to vice president of North America agricultural affairs and license to operate at Bayer Crop Science. The National Pork Producers Council hired Shannon McMurtrey-Belson as senior director of international affairs and Dillon Davidson as director of state policy. Jeremy Witte was sworn in as deputy under secretary of marketing and regulatory programs at USDA.