NASDA Elects Witte of New Mexico as President

NASDA Elects Witte of New Mexico as President

New Board of Directors, Committee Leadership Also Named at Closing Day of Annual Meeting

The National Association of State Departments of Agriculture (NASDA) today elected a new slate of officers for the coming year. New Mexico Secretary of Agriculture Jeff Witte will serve as NASDA’s 2018-19 President and will host the 2019 NASDA Annual Meeting in Albuquerque, New Mexico on September 8-12.

“We have an incredibly busy agenda for 2019 which will be full of opportunities to underscore the importance of our work in public service to advancing the success of our farmers and ranchers,” said newly elected NASDA President and New Mexico Secretary of Agriculture Jeff Witte. “As Congress presses forward on an on-time Farm Bill, NASDA Members will continue to engage the Administration on swift implementation of the new opportunities the Bill will create for producers. NASDA will also be leaning forward to be a more nimble and responsive organization to stay relevant in the ever-changing world of agriculture and food. We cannot stand still.”

Also elected to NASDA’s Board of Directors were North Dakota Commissioner of Agriculture Doug Goehring (Vice President), Kentucky Commissioner of Agriculture Ryan Quarles (Second Vice President), and New York Commissioner of Agriculture Richard Ball (Secretary-Treasurer). Connecticut Commissioner of Agriculture Steve Reviczky will serve as NASDA’s Past President and Louisiana Commissioner of Agriculture Michael Strain will serve in the At-Large position. Massachusetts Commissioner of Agriculture John Lebeaux, Texas Commissioner of Agriculture Sid Miller, Hawaii Chairman of Agriculture Scott Enright, and Oklahoma Secretary of Agriculture Jim Reese will serve as the Northeastern, Southern, Western, and Midwestern representatives respectively. 

Following his election, Secretary Witte appointed the leadership of NASDA’s six policy committees:

Marketing and International Trade Committee

·        Chair: Washington Director of Agriculture Derek Sandison (Continuing)

·        Vice Chair: Iowa Secretary of Agriculture Mike Naig (New)

Natural Resources and Environment Committee

·        Chair: Wyoming Director of Agriculture Doug Miyamoto (Continuing)

·        Vice Chair: Delaware Secretary of Agriculture Michael Scuse (New)

Animal Agriculture Committee

·        Chair: Missouri Director of Agriculture Chris Chinn (New)

·        Vice Chair: Vermont Secretary of Agriculture Anson Tebbetts (New)

Plant Agriculture & Pesticide Regulation Committee

·        Chair: Indiana Director of Agriculture Bruce Kettler (New)

·        Vice Chair: Georgia Commissioner of Agriculture Gary Black (New)

Rural Development and Financial Security Committee

·        Chair: Pennsylvania Secretary of Agriculture Russell Redding (Continuing)

·        Vice Chair: Montana Director of Agriculture Ben Thomas (Continuing)

Food Regulation Committee

·        Chair: New York Commissioner of Agriculture Richard Ball (Continuing)

·        Vice Chair: Colorado Commissioner of Agriculture Don Brown (Continuing)

NASDA Communications Working Group

·        Chair: South Carolina Commissioner of Agriculture Hugh Weathers (New)

NASDA is a nonpartisan, nonprofit association which represents the elected and appointed commissioners, secretaries, and directors of the departments of agriculture in all fifty states and four U.S. territories. NASDA grows and enhances agriculture by forging partnerships and creating consensus to achieve sound policy outcomes between state departments of agriculture, the federal government, and stakeholders. Learn more about NASDA at www.nasda.org.