Donna Reifschneider was named administrator of the Grain Inspection, Packers and Stockyards Administration.

Before joining USDA, since 1971 Reifschneider has owned and operated, with her family, a 600-sow, 1,000-acre hog and grain farm in southern Illinois. During that time she served as an executive committee member of the Meat Export Federation from 1999-2001.

From 1996-2000 Reifschneider also served as an officer with the Des Moines, Iowa-based National Pork Producers Council, including serving as president from 1998-99 and vice president from 1996-97. During those four years she worked at coordinating that organization’s state and national policy and strategy and negotiating with U.S., Canadian, and Mexican pork organizations on trade issues. She chaired the Council’s Pork Quality Assurance Committee from 1992-98 and its Food Safety Committee from 1995-98, and served on its Pork Trade Committee from 1999-2002, participating in trade missions to China, Japan, Argentina, and Brazil.

A native of Belleville, Ill., Reifschneider holds a B.S. degree in education from Southern Illinois University.

Jim Bob Baker, the previous administrator of GIPSA, held that position from November 1994 until January 2001, and is now vice president for business development with the National Bank of Arkansas in Conway, Ark. •