Obama names appointees to Indiana FSA State Committee
WASHINGTON, D.C. — The Obama administration announced individuals who will serve on the Indiana Farm Service Agency (FSA0 State Committee. The committee will oversee the activities of the agency, including carrying out the state agricultural conservation programs, resolving appeals from the agriculture community and helping to keep producers informed about FSA programs.
The individuals appointed to serve on this committee include:
•Robert D. Peacock from Deputy has more than 30 years of experience operating a farm with his brother. Most recently, he served as the executive director of the Scott County Economic Development Corp. Peacock served as executive director for the FSA State Committee under the Clinton administration and has been an elected to the Scott County Council for 11 years.
•Wayne Vance from Greenwood has owned and operated a family farm in Jennings County for 25 years while also pursuing a career in government. He serves as the assistant director for The Center on Congress at Indiana University.
•Kristen A. Whittington from Edinburgh owns and manages Landmark Enterprises, a full service consulting firm for livestock producers. She also served as director in the Office of Agriculture Relations for the Indiana Department of Environmental Management.
USGC elects new board, officers; Vinduska named chair
BOSTON, Mass. — A new slate of officers and board of directors were elected at the U.S. Grains Council’s (USGC) 50th annual Board of Delegates Meeting. Terry Vinduska, a corn farmer representing the Kansas Corn Commission, was elected chair for the 2010-11 fiscal year.
He takes over the role of chairman as Rick Fruth, a farmer from Ohio representing the Ohio Corn Marketing Program, transitions into the past chairman position. Other officers elected include Wendell Shauman, representing Illinois Corn Marketing Board, as vice chairman; Don Fast, representing Montana Wheat & Barley Committee, as treasurer; and Julius Schaaf, representing Iowa Corn Promotion Board, as secretary.
Alan Tiemann, of the Nebraska Corn Board, was reelected to the Council’s board of directors. Newly elected board members include James Tobin of Monsanto; Bill Kubecka of United Sorghum Checkoff Program; and Jere White of Kansas Corn Commission.
Tennessee names new assistant state veterinarian
NASHVILLE, Tenn. — Tennessee Agriculture Commissioner Ken Givens announced Dr. Sara Clariday is assistant state veterinarian.
Clariday, of Mount Juliet, Tenn., graduated from the University of Tennessee College of Veterinary Medicine in the first graduation class of 1979. She and fellow classmate and husband, Dr. David Clariday, established Hartsville Animal Clinic in 1979. In 1984, they established Mount Juliet Animal Clinic. They also run a beef operation on their family farm in Mount Juliet.
She also worked at Vanderbilt Animal Research Facility for more than 11 years. In 1996, she received a teaching certificate from Middle Tennessee State University and has taught at three high schools and has been a department chair.
Clariday will serve as the field coordinator working with field staff in the state Department of Ag’s Animal Health Section. She is also charged with managing dog and cat dealer licensing and coordinating the disaster animal response teams across the state.
Governor appoints Michigan Beef Industry Commission
OKEMOS, Mich. — Gov. Jennifer Granholm appointed Jill Sears of Horton and Don Hartman of Clio to the Michigan Beef Industry Commission. In addition, she reappointed John Jay VanderBoon of Kalamazoo for an additional term. All terms expire May 31, 2013.
The commission administers the beef checkoff program in Michigan. Sears represents the cattle feeding industry; she and her family own and operate a farm in Jackson County, and she has also worked in the banking industry and served as a director of GreenStone Farm Credit Services.
Hartman represents retailers engaged in the sale of beef and products. He is merchandising manager at VG’s Food Center, a division of Spartan Stores, Inc., and brings 43 years of experience in directing sales, merchandising and profitability for a large retail grocery operation.
VanderBoon is head cattle buyer for JBS in Plainwell, a company he has been with for 12 years. He also has prior experience in processing.
Professor joins EU’s efforts to ensure food security
URBANA, Ill. — University of Illinois professor Steve Long exchanged ideas and strategies with 11 top scientists at the first meeting of the Scientific Advisory Board to the European Union (EU) Joint Programming Initiative (JPI) on Agriculture, Food Security and Climate Change in Paris last month.
Long, a Gutgsell Professor in the Department of Crop Sciences, was one of two foreign experts elected by the EU states to serve on this advisory board targeting joint research, to achieve a shared vision for the EU to secure a safe and sustainable food supply while reducing the impact of agriculture on climate change.
The committee’s goal is to develop a strategic research agenda by the end of the year. EU Commissioner for Research, Innovation and Science Máire Geoghegan-Quinn said this will be a major contribution to the Europe 2020 Strategy, which brings 20 European countries together.
The efforts are jointly led by France through the National Institute for Agricultural Research and the United Kingdom through the Biotechnology and Biological Sciences Research Council. For more information, go to http:// ec.europa.eu/research/era/areas/
programming/joint_programming_en.htm |
