White, May, Straughn form conservation consulting firm
January 12, 2015 |08:14 PM
Three people with extensive Capitol Hill agriculture experience are forming a conservation and sustainability consulting firm called the 9b Group.
The principals are Dave White, the former Agriculture Department Natural Resources Conservation Service chief; Tina May, a former aide to former Senate Agriculture Committee Chairwoman Debbie Stabenow, D-Mich., now at USDA; and Pelham Straughn, an aide to former House Agriculture Committee Chairman Frank Lucas, R-Okla.
White was detailed to Capitol Hill to work on several farm bills and May and Straughn were in charge of conservation in the 2014 farm bill for their respective committees.
May, who is chief of staff to Agriculture Deputy Secretary Krysta Harden, will leave USDA at the end of this week.
The 9b Group is incorporated as a benefit corporation, which means it has the stated purpose of creating “a material positive impact on the environment or society in general.”
“Our name — 9b Group — indicates our work will focus on sustainability; ensuring that the 9 billion humans who will inhabit Earth in 2050 will have the same agricultural bounty we enjoy today along with clean air, clean and abundant water, plentiful wildlife, and a healthy environment,” the three principals said in an statement.
“While the 9b Group specializes in conservation and sustainability, we also have substantial expertise in other areas such as Title I and commodity programs, international food aid, trade and market access, forestry, crop insurance, and risk management,” they added.
The principals are Dave White, the former Agriculture Department Natural Resources Conservation Service chief; Tina May, a former aide to former Senate Agriculture Committee Chairwoman Debbie Stabenow, D-Mich., now at USDA; and Pelham Straughn, an aide to former House Agriculture Committee Chairman Frank Lucas, R-Okla.
White was detailed to Capitol Hill to work on several farm bills and May and Straughn were in charge of conservation in the 2014 farm bill for their respective committees.
May, who is chief of staff to Agriculture Deputy Secretary Krysta Harden, will leave USDA at the end of this week.
The 9b Group is incorporated as a benefit corporation, which means it has the stated purpose of creating “a material positive impact on the environment or society in general.”
“Our name — 9b Group — indicates our work will focus on sustainability; ensuring that the 9 billion humans who will inhabit Earth in 2050 will have the same agricultural bounty we enjoy today along with clean air, clean and abundant water, plentiful wildlife, and a healthy environment,” the three principals said in an statement.
“While the 9b Group specializes in conservation and sustainability, we also have substantial expertise in other areas such as Title I and commodity programs, international food aid, trade and market access, forestry, crop insurance, and risk management,” they added.
