WASHINGTON, D.C., October 24, 2018 - Agriculture Secretary Sonny Perdue today announced the appointment of 10 members to serve on the National Agricultural Research, Extension, Education, and Economics (NAREEE) Advisory Board.
“These members of the NAREEE Advisory Board help ensure that our work at USDA is facts-based, data-driven, and customer-focused,” Perdue said. “They bring real-world knowledge and expertise that is invaluable to our efforts.”
The NAREEE Board regularly advises the Secretary and land-grant colleges and universities on top national priorities and policies related to food and agricultural research, education, extension, and economics. The Board’s main objective is to contribute to effective federal agricultural research, education and economics programs through broad stakeholder feedback and sound science. Board members also perform an annual review of the relevance of the research, education, economics, and extension programs at USDA and the adequacy of funding for those programs.
The 10 appointees announced today will serve three-year terms that expire September 30. They are (the category of stakeholder that each represents is noted in parentheses):
- Lisabeth Hobart, Government Relations Manager, GROWMARK Inc., Bloomington, IL (Category B. Farm Cooperatives);
- Chalmers Carr III, Owner, Titan Farms, Ridge Spring, SC (Category D. Plant Commodity Producer);
- Dr. Edmund Buckner, Dean & Director, Land Grant Programs, Alcorn State University, Lorman, MS (Category E. National Aquaculture Association);
- Dr. John Coupland, Professor of Food Science, Pennsylvania State University, University Park, PA (Category H. National Food Science Organization);
- Dr. Sarah Francis, Associate Professor/State Extension and Outreach Specialist, Nutrition and Wellness, Iowa State University, Ames, IA (Category J. National Nutritional Science Society);
- Dr. David Baltensperger, Department Head, Texas A&M University, College Station, TX (Category K. 1862 Land-Grant Colleges and Universities);
- Dr. James Allen, Executive Director of the School of Forestry, Northern Arizona University, Flagstaff, AZ (Category V. National Forestry Group);
- Chad Ellis, Industry Relations, Manager, Noble Research Institute, Ardmore, OK (Category W. National Conservation or Natural Resource Groups);
- Dr. Robert Zeigler, Director General and CEO Emeritus, International Rice Research Institute, Portland, OR (Category X. Private Sector Organization involved in International Development); and
- Dr. Jayson Lusk, Department Head, Purdue University, West Lafayette, IN (Category Y. National Social Science Association).
Each of the 25 NAREEE Advisory Board members represents a specific category of U.S. Agricultural stakeholders as outlined in the Agricultural Act of 2014. The categories include farming or ranching, food production and processing, forestry research, crop and animal science, land-grant institutions, non-land grant college or university with a historic commitment to research in the food and agricultural sciences, food retailing and marketing, rural economic development, and natural resource and consumer interest groups, among many others. Each member serves a 2-3 year appointment. Terms for members overlap so that approximately one-third of the Board is replaced and/or reappointed each year.
For additional information, please contact Michele Esch, Executive Director, NAREEE Advisory Board, Room 332A, Jamie L. Whitten Building, U.S. Department of Agriculture, 1400 Independence Avenue, SW, Washington, DC 20250-0321, Telephone: 202-720-3684, Fax: 202-720-6199, or e-mail: nareee@ars.usda.gov or visit our website at nareeeab.ree.usda.gov.
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