News

Changes afoot in ag policy leadership

A number of ag policy leaders at the federal level are leaving their posts. U.S. Trade Representative Ron Kirk plans to leave his position and retire to his native Texas.

Larry Elsworth, chief agriculture advisor for EPA Administrator Lisa Jackson, is retiring and no replacement has been named for him yet. Chief Dave White of the USDA’s Natural Resources Conservation Service will retire December 3rd and will be succeeded by Jason Weller, current NRCS chief of staff. As is typical in a second presidential term, more members of the administration could be moving on.

Several members of Congress who are closely associated with agriculture won’t be returning next year. Some House Ag Committee members either lost their primaries earlier this year (Reps. Tim Johnson, R-IL; Jean Schmidt, R-OH; Tim Holden, D-PA) or in the general election in November (Reps. Bobby Schilling, R-IL; Joe Baca, D-CA, and, Leonard Boswell, D-Iowa). Senator Kent Conrad of North Dakota, who chairs the Senate Budget Committee, is retiring after this term.