NASDA Members Elect Washington State Agriculture Director Derek Sandison as 2026–2027 President

Press Release

PORTLAND, Maine – During the 2026 National Association of State Departments of Agriculture Annual Meeting, members elected their 2027 officers. Washington State Department of Agriculture Director Derek Sandison will be NASDA’s 2026–2027 President.

“I’m honored to be elected president of the NASDA Board of Directors and to represent Washington agriculture in this role,” Director Sandison said. “Farmers and ranchers are navigating challenging times, making collaboration and strong partnerships more important than ever. I’m optimistic about the opportunities ahead to advance policies and practices that improve conditions for producers, strengthen our food and agriculture system, and ensure a strong future for American agriculture. I look forward to working with my fellow agriculture leaders across the country to champion these efforts.”

As part of his presidency, Director Sandison will lead NASDA in hosting the 2027 Annual Meeting, Sept. 12-15, in Kennewick, Washington. The gathering will bring agriculture leaders from across the nation to the state, highlighting Washington’s farms, fisheries and forests, and reinforcing NASDA’s role in shaping smart agricultural policy that works for farms, ranches and agricultural businesses of all kinds.

NASDA’s 2027 Board of Directors includes

• President: Director Derek Sandison, Washington
• Vice President: Secretary Mike Naig, Iowa
• Second Vice President: Commissioner Tyler Harper, Georgia
• Secretary-Treasurer: Commissioner Ashley Randle, Massachusetts
• Past President: Commissioner Amanda Beal, Maine
• At-Large: Director Jerry Costello, Illinois
• Northeastern Representative: Secretary Anson Tebbetts, Vermont
• Southern Representative: Secretary Kevin Atticks, Maryland
• Midwestern Representative: Director Brian Baldridge, Ohio
• Western Representative: Director Chanel Tewalt, Idaho

Director Sandison also announced the leadership of NASDA’s six policy committees:

• Animal Agriculture: Director Sherry Vinton (Nebraska), Chair; Secretary Randy Romanski (Wisconsin), Vice Chair
• Food Systems and Nutrition Committee: Commissioner Bryan Hurlburt (Connecticut) Chair; Director J.J. Goicoechea (Nevada), Vice Chair
• Marketing and International Trade: Commissioner Richard Ball (New York), Chair; Secretary Mike Beam (Kansas), Vice Chair
• Natural Resources and Environment: Secretary Jeff Witte (New Mexico), Chair; Secretary Kevin Atticks (Maryland), Vice Chair
• Plant Agriculture & Pesticide Regulation: Director Chris Chinn (Missouri), Chair; Commissioner Charles Green (Virginia), Vice Chair
• Rural Development and Financial Security: Secretary Anson Tebbetts (Virginia), Chair; Director Don Lamb (Indiana), Vice Chair

In 2015, Director Sandison was appointed director of the Washington State Department of Agriculture, and oversees the state’s animal health, plant inspections, food safety, fruit and grain inspection and certification, weights and measures, pesticide registration and marketing Washington’s agricultural products regionally and globally. Director Sandison previously served as director of the State Department of Ecology’s Office of Columbia River, where he oversaw numerous water supply development projects important to farmers and ranchers. He was also an architect of the Yakima River Basin Integrated Water Resource Management Plan and has played a key role in the Odessa Ground Water Replacement Project.

NASDA 2026-2027 President, Washington State Department of Agriculture Director Derek Sandison

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NASDA is a nonpartisan, nonprofit association which represents the elected and appointed commissioners, secretaries and directors of the departments of agriculture in all 50 states and four U.S. territories. NASDA engages state departments of agriculture to strengthen U.S. agriculture and allied industries through policy, partnerships and public outreach. To learn more about NASDA, please visit www.nasda.org.