NASDA NOMINATES MEMBERS FOR EPA AGRICULTURE COMMITTEE
News Date December 11, 2007
NASDA has recommended four candidates to serve on the Environmental Protection Agency's (EPA) new Farm, Ranch and Rural Communities Advisory Committee. The agency recently announced the establishment of the committee which will provide advice to the EPA administrator on environmental policy issues affecting agriculture.
NASDA's nominees are Delaware Agriculture Secretary Michael Scuse; Iowa Agriculture Secretary Bill Northey; South Carolina Agriculture Commissioner Hugh Weathers; and Utah Agriculture Commissioner Leonard Blackham. All of NASDA's nominees have extensive experience in the environmental field dealing with agriculture; hold leadership positions in the NASDA organization; are actively involved in farming or ranching; and have worked on issues where consensus building is necessary. NASDA is encouraging EPA to allow all four candidates to participate in the advisory committee because they represent the regional and geographic diversity of the country's food and agriculture production system.
EPA plans to announce members for the advisory committee in January 2008 and hold the first meeting in March 2008. Additional information about the committee and nomination process are published in the November 15 Federal Register. (Contact: Charlie Ingram or Rick Kirchhoff)