Agriculture Secretary Tom Vilsack and U.S. Trade Representative Michael Froman Tuesday announced the appointment of 129 people to the Agricultural Policy Advisory Committee (APAC) and six agricultural technical advisory committees, known as ATACs.

“As we negotiate new trade agreements in Asia and Europe we will rely on APAC and ATAC members' expertise and knowledge to bring home the best possible deals,” Vilsack said in a news release. The appointees all work in the private sector.

“The strength of our trade agenda is dependent on the advice and counsel we receive from our trade advisers,” said Froman. “And, now it is more important than ever as we pursue the most ambitious trade agenda ever for America’s farmers, ranchers and businesses of all sizes.”

“The individuals we are appointing today represent one of the most important sectors to America's export economy and will provide critical advice as we negotiate the Trans-Pacific Partnership, Transatlantic Trade and Investment Partnership, and work to expand export opportunities for American agriculture,” Froman said.

Congress established the advisory committee system in 1974 to ensure a private-sector voice in establishing U.S. agricultural trade policy objectives to reflect U.S. commercial and economic interests. The Agriculture Department and the Office of the U.S. Trade Representative jointly manage the committees.

As trade negotiations progress, the members of the committees will be informed of the content of proposed changes to trade rules and consulted on them. The appointments are considered highly prestigious for career purposes. The appointments involve security clearances and the appointees are not allowed to discuss the information with outsiders.

Following is the list of committees and their appointed members provided by USDA and USTR:

AGRICULTURAL POLICY ADVISORY COMMITTEE

• Gary Adams, National Cotton Council of America
• Cynthia Allen, Allen Farms
• Dale Artho, Dale and Kathy Artho Farms
• Carlos Ayala, Perdue Foods, LLC
• Steve Baccus, Baccus Farms, Inc.
• Laura Batcha, Organic Trade Association
• Devry Boughner, Cargill, Inc.
• L. Dow Brantley, III, Brantley Farming Co.
• Jon Caspers, National Pork Producers Council
• Stephen L. Censky, American Soybean Association
• Annie W. Durbin, U.S. Agricultural Export Development Council
• Marsha A. Echols, World Food Law Institute
• Jerry Flint, DuPont Pioneer
• Nancy E. Foster, National Renderers Association
• Hezekiah Gibson, United Farmers USA/Gibson Farm
• Earnest Chandler Goule, National Farmers Union
• Thomas A. Hammer, National Oilseed Processors Association
• Shannon S.S. Herzfeld, Archer Daniels Midland Company
• Robert P. Koch, Wine Institute
• Elmira Mangum, Florida Agricultural and Mechanical University
• Brenda N. Morris, Morris Farms, LLC
• Daniel D. Moss, Moss Ag and Arrowhead Potato Company
• Thomas A. Nassif, Western Growers
• Christian E. Schlect, Northwest Horticultural Council
• Philip M. Seng, U.S. Meat Export Federation
• Joseph Steinkamp, Steinkamp Farms, Inc.
• Thomas E. Stenzel, United Fresh Produce Association
• Reneé Toussaint-Strickland, Strickland Ranch and Exports, Inc.
• Michael Stuart, Florida Fruit and Vegetable Association
• Thomas M. Suber, U.S. Dairy Export Council
• James H. Sumner, USA Poultry and Egg Export Council
• Rayne Thompson, Sunkist Growers
• Alan T. Tracy, U.S. Wheat Associates, Inc.
• Larry B. Wooten, North Carolina Farm Bureau

AGRICULTURAL TECHNICAL ADVISORY COMMITTEES

Trade in Animals and Animal Products

• Kurt L. Brandt, United Food and Commercial Workers International Union
• Tracy L. Brunner, Cow Camp, Inc.
• Jaime A. Castaneda, National Milk Producers Federation
• Anthony E. Clayton, Clayton Agri-Marketing, Inc.
• Steven L. Foglesong, Black Gold Ranch and Feedlot
• Thad Lively, U.S. Meat Export Federation
• James Robert McCan, McFaddin Enterprises
• Todd Menotti, Tyson Foods, Inc.
• Lisa Wallenda Picard, National Turkey Federation
• Don Shawcroft, John B. Shawcroft Ranches, LLLP
• Hal Shenson, Nature's SunGrown Foods, Inc.
• Dennis Stiffler, Mountain States Rosen
• Peter Tabor, Pet Food Institute
• John J. Wilson, Dairy Farmers of America, Inc.

Trade in Fruits and Vegetables

• Julie Adams, Almond Board of California
• Reginald Brown, Florida Tomato Exchange
• James R. Cranney, Jr., California Citrus Quality Council
• John Foster, Earthbound Farm
• Robert Guenther, United Fresh Produce Association
• Matt Harris, Washington State Potato Commission
• Richard Hudgins, California Canning Peach Association
• Randy Hudson, National Pecan Growers Council
• Marcy L. Martin, California Fresh Fruit Association
• Ken Melban, California Avocado Commission
• Mike Montna, California Tomato Growers Association
• Dale Murden, Texas Citrus Mutual
• Joel Nelsen, California Citrus Mutual
• Shannen Nettleton, Seneca Foods
• Jim A. Zion, Meridian Growers, LLC

Trade in Grains, Feed, Oilseeds and Planting Seeds

• Stan Baker, Baker Seed Technologies, Inc.
• Rebecca Bratter, U.S. Dry Bean Council
• Lynn Clarkson, Clarkson Grain Company, Inc.
• Sharon L. Covert, Illinois Soybean Association
• Robert E. Cummings, Jr., USA Rice Federation
• Dennis DeLaughter, U.S. Rice Producers Association
• Neal H. Fisher, North Dakota Wheat Commission
• Ron Gray, Gray Farms, Inc.
• Craig Hill, Iowa Farm Bureau
• William Hoffman, Hoffman Farms
• Donald E. Latham, United Soybean Board
• Karen Lowe, CoBank, ACB
• Michael D. Nichols, Nichols Family Farms, LLC
• J. Steve Peirce, Jr., RIBUS, Inc.
• Bernice Slutsky, American Seed Trade Association
• Larry David Stenberg, DOW AgroSciences
• Matt Stutzman, Stutzman Farms, Inc.
• Ron Suppes, Suppes Farms
• Rodney W. Van Orman, Anderson Hay and Grain Co., Inc.
• Gary Wertish, Minnesota Farmer’s Union

Trade in Processed Foods

• Robert B. Anderson, Organic Trade Association
• Robert Bauer, Association of Food Industries
• Muhammad M. Chaudry, Islamic Food and Nutrition Council of America
• George R. Davis, Porter Creek Vineyards
• Thomas S. Gellert, Cheese Importers Association of America
• Barbara Gilbert, United Food and Commercial Workers International Union
• Ann Grappin, American Potato Trade Alliance
• Tim Hamilton, Food Export Association of the Midwest USA/Food Export USA Northeast
• Lisa Hill, Ocean Spray International Services, Inc.
• Karen S. Horan, National Confectioners Association
• Tom LaFaille, Wine Institute
• Christine LoCascio, Distilled Spirits Council of the United States, Inc.
• David McCaleb, Brewers Association
• John McDermid, PepsiCo
• Bill J. McFarland, Musco Family Olive Company
• Autumn V. Price, Land O'Lakes
• Melissa San Miguel, Grocery Manufacturers Association
• Paul Schiefer, Amy’s Kitchen
• Kelly Shea, The WhiteWave Foods Company
• Ron Tanner, Specialty Food Association
• Sue Taylor, Leprino Foods
• Peter Thornton, North Carolina Department of Agriculture and Consumer Services
• Bernadette M. Wiltz, Southern United States Trade Association

Trade in Sweeteners and Sweetener Products

• Perry J. Cerminara, The Hershey Company
• Arnold Coombs, Bascom Family Farms
• Thomas Earley, Agralytica, Inc.
• Patrick Henneberry, Imperial Sugar Company
• Roland E. Hoch, Global Organics Ltd.
• James W. Johnson, Jr., U.S. Beet Sugar Association
• Keith Krause, McKee Foods Corporation
• Luther Markwart, American Sugar Beet Growers Association
• Kevin Price, American Crystal Sugar Company
• Jim Simon, American Sugar Cane League of the USA, Inc.
• Ryan Weston, Hawaiian Commercial and Sugar Company
• John Yonover, Indiana Sugars, Inc.

Trade in Tobacco, Cotton and Peanuts

• T. Patrick Archer, American Peanut Council
• Michelle Huffman, National Cotton Council of America
• Don Koehler, Georgia Agricultural Commodity Commission for Peanuts
• Monique Muggli, Campaign for Tobacco-Free Kids
• Richard Pasco, American Peanut Product Manufacturers, Inc.
• Evans J. Plowden, Jr., American Peanut Shellers Association
• Roger F. Quarles, Burley Tobacco Growers Cooperative Association
• J. Michael Quinn, Carolinas Cotton Growers Cooperative, Inc.
• Harvey Schroeder, Oklahoma Cotton Council
• Sledge Taylor, Buckeye Farms
• Randy Veach, Arkansas Farm Bureau