BELMOND, Iowa — A Belmond, Iowa farmer, who sits on the National Corn Growers Assoc. (NCGA) Corn Board, was appointed to the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency’s (EPA) newly formed Farm, Ranch, and Rural Communities Advisory Committee, the association announced on Feb. 20.<br>
“I’m excited about this opportunity to represent the interests and concerns of the U.S. corn grower in this important role,” said David Nelson, who farms 5,000 acres of commercial corn and soybeans, seed beans, alfalfa, and grass hay with his two brothers in rural Belmond.<br>
“It is crucial to build strong bonds between the U.S. farmer and governmental agencies that set and enforce policies affecting our work, and we believe we have a positive story to tell when it comes to farming and sustainability,” said Nelson, who holds an Iowa State University bachelor’s degree and is a certified crop advisor.
A board member of both the National Renewable Fuels Assoc. and the Iowa Renewable Fuels Assoc., and chairs the board of Global Ethanol and the Midwest Grain Processors Cooperative, Nelson will be running for reelection to the NCGA Corn Board, where he currently serves as the board’s liaison to the NCGA Production and Stewardship Action Team.<br>Chaired by James R. Moseley, former USDA deputy secretary, the committee is considered an important part of the EPA administrator’s ongoing effort to strengthen relations with the agriculture community.<br>
“It will advise the administrator on environmental policy issues impacting farms, ranches, and rural communities,” an NCGA statement stated. “Its first meeting will take place in March.”
The following is a partial listing of other committee members:
•Martha Guzman Aceves, who was the legislative advocate for the California Rural Legal Assistance Foundation on Farm Worker Health and Safety issues, Environmental Justice, and Education Justice, served as the Legislative Coordinator for the United Farm Workers, AFL-CIO covering a range of labor and environmental issues.<br>
•James Andrew, a fifth-generation, Jefferson, Iowa corn and soybean farmer, served as vice president of membership and director of the National Corn Growers Assoc., director and international government affairs chairperson of the US Grains Council, and director of the Iowa Corn Promotion Board. He currently serves as Director of the Iowa Soybean Assoc. and the American Soybean Assoc.<br>
•Leonard Blackham, a Moroni, Utah turkey farmer, was appointed Utah Commissioner of Agriculture and Food in January 2005 by Governor Jon M. Huntsman, Jr., becoming the state’s 6th Commissioner since Utah adopted the single commissioner structure.<br>
•Richard Bonanno, a fourth-generation specialty crop farmer in Massachusetts, is the owner and operator at Pleasant Valley Gardens, producing bedding plants and fresh market vegetables. He serves as a weed science Specialist with the University of Massachusetts Extension Service.<br>
•Marion Bowlan is a third-generation, certified organic farmer from Lancaster County, PA. She has experience raising beef, dairy, hogs, vegetables, potatoes, poultry, eggs, and tobacco as well as direct and wholesale marketing experience.<br>
•Garth Boyd, assistant professor of animal sciences at Colorado State University, currently serves as senior vice president for Camco, a global firm that owns one of the world’s largest carbon credit portfolios where he’s working to build a U.S. agricultural carbon portfolio to encourage rural economic development, improve ranch and farm income, and reduce greenhouse gas emissions.<br>
•Sen. Mike Brubaker, who chairs the Agriculture and Rural Affairs Committee, is an agronomist by education and profession, and a private sector entrepreneur. Prior to joining the Senate, he owned and operated several successful businesses focusing on agricultural production and environmental enhancements.<br>
•Christine Chinn chairs the AFBF Young Farmer & Rancher Committee and, in that capacity, serves on the AFBF Board of Directors, and is manager of Chinn Hog Farm in Clarence, MO.
•Robert Flocchini has a Ph.D. from the University of California, Davis. He is currently a professor of land, air, and water resources, and also serves as director of the Crocker Nuclear Laboratory and Director of the McClellan Nuclear Reactor, both at the University of California, Davis.<br>
A list of committee members is at www.epa.gov/agriculture/frrcc/members.html