The U.S. Department of Agriculture (USDA) is announcing the appointment of 152 delegates, including 147 producers and five importers, to the 2023 National Pork Producers Delegate Body.

Members appointed to serve one-year terms are:

• Alabama: Kaleb Skinner, Fruithurst; and Brian L. Anderson, Aburn
• Alaska: Pattie Worrell, Wasilla; and Rich Worrell, Wasilla
• Arizona: Bruce Lawler, Lakeside; and William Tate, Taylor
• Arkansas: Steve Balloun, Dardanelle; and Kayla Blake, Russellville
• California: Chance Reeder, Modesto; and Shelby N. Sopocy, Sacramento
• Colorado: Minda Mares, Julesburg; and Isabel Cervantes, Holyoke
• Connecticut: Hazel Secchiaroli, Waterford; and Jonathan Secchiaroli, Waterford
• Delaware: John B. Tigner, Jr., Hartly; and Henry Clay Johnson IV, Selbyville
• Florida: Tommy Crawford, Lake Butler; and Kyle Mendes, Lake Butler
• Georgia: Dania DeVane, Cuthbert; and Mark Clemmer, Broxton
• Idaho: Jared T. Teuscher, Burley; and Kirk Pugsley, Caldwell
• Illinois: Chad M. Leman, Eureka; Thomas Titus, Elkhart; Alan Kollmann, Altamont; Cheryl L. Walsh, Princeville; Jason Propst, Toledo; and Pamela S. Janssen, Minonk
• Indiana: James K. Douglas, Flat Rock; Matt Paschen, Logansport; Micah Render, Rensselaer; Adam R. Salsbery, Kokomo; Nicholas Tharp, Coatesville; and Dan W. Vague, Freetown
• Iowa: Linda Schroeder, Remsen; Lance Heuser, Manson; John E. Vossberg, Janesville; Trish Cook, Winthrop; Ryan Pudenz, Ames; Joel Van Gilst, Oskaloosa; Erin Brenneman, Wellman; Tim Bierman, Larrabee; Aaron Cook, Winthrop; Dean Frazer, Conrad; Gregg Hora, Fort Dodge; Aaron Juergens, Carroll; Greg Lear, Spencer; Rod Leman, Fort Dodge; Dennis C. Liljedahl, Essex; Curtis Meier, Clarinda; Mark Meirick, Protivin; Dwight D. Mogler, Lester; David Moody, Nevada; Mike Paustian, Walcott; Kevin L. Rasmussen, Goldfield; Lisa J. Rasmussen, Goldfield; Dale Gerard Reicks, New Hampton; Jamie Schmidt, Garner; Leon C. Sheets, Ionia; Bill Tentinger, Le Mars; Trent Thiele, Elma; Marv Van Den Top, Boyden; Clark Wikner, McGregor; and Steven Kerns, Clearfield
• Kansas: David Hartter, Sabetha; Kenton McKee, Goff; Scott Pfortmiller, Saint John; and Roy J. Henry, Longford
• Kentucky: Benji Hudnall, Bowling Green; Eric Heard, Russellville
• Maine: Brittany Hemond, Minot; and Michael G. Hemond, Minot
• Maryland: Michael Stoner, Taneytown; and Alan C. Eck, Henderson
• Michigan: Andy White, Jones; Brian Pridgeon, Montgomery; and Pat Albright, Coldwater
• Minnesota: Brian Schwartz, Sleepy Eye; Chris Compart, Nicollet; Meg E. Freking, Alpha; Brian B. Johnson, Walnut Grove; Mary Langhorst, Lafayette; Amber Portner, New Ulm; Mike Boerboom, Marshall; Roger D. Punt, Prinsburg; Todd Selvik, Waseca; Brad Hennen, Ghent; and Myrna Welter, Stewartville
• Mississippi: Sean Boe, Moselle; and Gerald Thompson, Bruce
• Missouri: Rich Deppe, Washington; Mike Diggs, Lamar; Donald L. Laut, Jr., Fredericktown; and Jeff Sims, Marshall
• Montana: Jacob A. Waldner, Havre; and Peter John Wipf, Carter
• Nebraska: Mark Wright, Fremont; Terry O’Neel, Friend; Hunter Thomas, Broken Bow; and Darin Uhlir, Saint Paul
• New York: James M. Luckman, Lewiston; and Richard Reese, Fort Plain
• North Carolina: Jay Archer, Tarboro; Jennifer B. Daniels, Autryville; David Dee Herring, Lillington; Marlowe Ivey Vaughan, Goldsboro; James L. Lamb, Clinton; Christina E. Phillips, Wallace; Jared Porter, Concord; Gaye D. Crowther, Tabor City; Brian J. Kennedy, Pink Hill; and Lorenda Overman, Goldsboro
• North Dakota: Pavel Danil, Michigan; and Nick Bundermann, Starkweather
• Ohio: Josh K. Berry, Pleasantville; Kenneth M. Garee, Sunbury; Nathan Schroeder, Leipsic; and Nick Seger, Sidney
• Oklahoma: Basil S. Werner, Kingfisher; Angie Johnson, Holdenville; and Robert Peffley, Seminole
• Oregon: Ray Blake, Newberg; and Jennifer Blake, Newberg
• Pennsylvania: Heidi A. Flory, Hegins; Drew Derstein, Lewistown; and Jason D. Manbeck, Bethel
• South Carolina: Mark A. McLeod, Pinewood; and Gary Curtis Lee, Jr., Alcolu
• South Dakota: Jason Foster, Garden City; Ryan Storm, Mount Vernon; Bob Thaler, Brookings; and Paul P. Wipf, Frankfort
• Tennessee: Dolly Jane Barnes, Selmer; and James Mathis, Duck River
• Texas: Peter C. Baumert, Dalhart; and Douglas Schaefer, Garden City
• Utah: Ryan Goff, Cedar City; Todd N. Ballard, Benson; and Jim Webb, Beaver
• Virginia: R.O. Britt, Williamsburg; and Jessica Cunningham, Elberon
• Washington: Robin Cocking, Colfax; and Tom Cocking, Colfax
• Wisconsin: Christina J. Meylor, Darlington; and Jeff Morris, Lone Rock
• Wyoming: Shawn Shmidl, Pine Bluffs; and Joe Bridges, Powell
• Importers: Martin Sauer, Jersey City, New Jersey; Roland Schinbeckler, Warren, New Jersey; Elisa Sandson, Arlington, Virginia; Rich Maebert, South Orange, New Jersey; and Ole Nielsen, Madison, New Jersey

The delegate body meets annually to recommend the rate of assessment, determine the percentage of assessments that state associations will receive and nominate producers and importers to the National Pork Board. 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.

The National Pork Board and the delegate body were established under the Pork Promotion, Research, and Consumer Information Act of 1985. By law, USDA's Agricultural Marketing Service (AMS) oversees operations of the National Pork Board and the delegate body.

AMS policy is that diversity of the boards, councils and committees it oversees should reflect the diversity of their industries in terms of the experience of members, methods of production and distribution, marketing strategies and other distinguishing factors, including but not limited to individuals from historically underserved communities who will bring different perspectives and ideas to the table. Throughout the full nomination process, the industry must conduct extensive outreach, paying particular attention to reaching underserved communities, and consider the diversity of the population served and the knowledge, skills and abilities of the members to serve a diverse population.

Source: USDA's AMS