Agricultural Marketing Service
 
Secretary Vilsack Appoints National Pork Producers Delegate Body
 
Release No.: 016-15

 
Contact:
Sam Jones-Ellard (202) 660-2268

 
WASHINGTON, Feb. 3, 2015 — Agriculture Secretary Tom Vilsack has announced the appointment of 151 producers and four importers to the 2015 National Pork Producers Delegate Body. The appointees were selected from nominees submitted by state pork producer association and importer groups and will serve a one-year term.

 
Appointed members representing pork producers by state are:

 
Alabama: Tim Gates, Wallace Norwood
Alaska: Rich Worrell, Pattie Worrell
Arizona: Marguerite A. Tan, Jose Rojas
Arkansas: Richard Gray, James Seward
California: Ken Dyer, Mike Curry
Colorado: Andrea R. Anderson, Brett Kaysen
Delaware: John B. Tigner, Jr., Henry C. Johnson, IV
Florida: Ricky N. Lyons, Tommy R. Crawford
Georgia: Dania DeVane, Mark Clemmer
Hawaii: Wayne Shimokawa, Stacy Sugi
Idaho: Logan Thornton, Robert T. Johnson
Illinois: Curt Zehr, Robert C. Frase, Todd Andrew Dail, Jason Propst, Dereke Dunkirk, Dave Conrady
Indiana: Sam D. Moffitt, Nick Maple, Kirk C. Thornburg, Emiley Gaskill, Brian Martin
Iowa: Mike Ver Steeg, Jamie Schmidt, Sarah Pakala, Al Wulfekuhle, Bryan Karwal, Dave Struthers, Art Halstead, Heather Hora, Tim Bierman, Rodney Dykstra, Gregg K. Hora, Joel Huber, Lori D. Jorgenson, Jill Kerber-Aldous, Steve Kerns, Gergory Lear, Curtis Meier, Mark Meirick, David Moody, Roger W. Nath, Gene M. Noem, Dale Reicks, Kenneth Ries, Marv Rietema, Joe Rotta, Leon C. Sheets, Scott W. Tapper, Bill Tentinger, John Edwin Vossberg, Chuck Wirtz
Kansas: Michael Springer, Alan J. Haverkamp, Kent F. Condray, Scott J. Pfortmiller
Kentucky: Bob Robinson, Benji Hudnall
Maine: Charlie Kenney, Laura Kenney
Maryland: Jennifer A. Debnam, George R. Debnam,V
Massachusetts: Lisa D. Colby
Michigan: Pat Albright, Dennis DeYoung, Andy White
Minnesota: Ruben Bode, Kevin W. Estrem, Pat Fitzsimmons, Meg Freeking, Kelly D. Graff, Brad Hennen, Brian B. Johnson, Wanda Patsche, Mark Sample, Sheila Schmid, Tim Steuber, Jackie Tlam
Mississippi: Terry Emerson, Donny Ray
Missouri: Christine Chinn, Adam Dohrman, Scott Phillips, Jim Fisher,
Montana: Joe D. Hofer, Jacob A. Waldner,
Nebraska: Darin J. Uhlir, Scott A. Spilker, Jan Miller, Aaron J. Kavan,
New Hampshire: Jeff Pedemonti, Lisa-Marie R. Gitschier
New York: James M. Luckman, Deanna Schwab
North Carolina: James L. Lamb, Channing R. Gooden, George H. Pettus, Don Butler, Mark W. Daughtry, Jim H. Lynch, Deborah M. Balance, Ben Outlaw, Brandon L. Warren, Everett H. Johnson, Bryant Worley
North Dakota: Seth Bacon, Nancy Rae Newman
Ohio: W. Kyle Brown, Rich Deaton, William Knapke, Ryan McClure
Oklahoma: Bert D. Luthi, Darren Appleton, Joseph Popplewell, Charlene Choate
Oregon: Lowell Bickle, Julie Rae Bickle
Pennsylvania: Andrew C. Reineker, Scott E. Augsburger, Oscar J. Manbeck
South Carolina: Larry B. DeHart, Mark A. McLeod
South Dakota: Ryan Storm, Dave Uttecht, Shannon G. Klumb
Tennessee: Jamey Tosh, Dolly Barnes
Texas: Michael Gruber, Corby Barrett
Utah: Jim Webb, Dwight D. Potter
Virginia: Keith D. Allen, Ryan Horsley,
Washington: Tom Cocking, Paul Klingeman, Sr.
Wisconsin: Dr. Michael A. Beisbier, Johnathan J. Wyttenbach,
Wyoming: Ana Shmidl, Shawn Shmidl

 
Importers appointed to the delegate body are: Ole Nielsen, Stig Kjaeroe, David Biltchik, and Magdalena Zamorska.

 
Established under the Pork Promotion, Research, and Consumer Information Act of 1985, the delegate body and the National Pork Board have implemented a national program designed to improve the pork industry’s position in the marketplace. USDA's Agricultural Marketing Service oversees operations of the delegate body. Representation on the delegate body is based on annual net assessments collected on sales of domestic hogs within individual states, with a minimum of two producers from each state. States have the option of not submitting nominees.

 
Delegates meet annually to recommend the rate of assessment, determine the percentage of assessments that state associations will receive and nominate producers and importers to the 15 member National Pork Board. The Delegate Body will be seated during the March, 2015, National Pork Industry Forum in San Antonio, Texas.

 
Research and promotion programs are industry-funded, authorized by Congress and date to 1966. Since then, Congress has authorized the establishment of 22 research and promotion boards. They empower agricultural industries by establishing a framework for them to pool resources and combine efforts to develop new markets, strengthen existing markets, and conduct important research and promotion activities. AMS provides oversight, helping to ensure fiscal responsibility, program efficiency and fair treatment of participating stakeholders.

 
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