Dec 21, 2020Climate policy, EPA picks for Biden administration named
President-elect Joe Biden continues to fill out his cabinet picks, including for numerous key positions that will affect agriculture and food trade. Recent picks include:
- USTR: In addition to the recent nomination of former Secretary of Agriculture Tom Vilsack to lead USDA, the presidential transition team also announced President-elect Joe Biden has tapped China expert Katherine Tai to be his U.S. Trade Representative. She is currently the top trade lawyer for the House Ways and Means Committee and the former chief counsel on China trade enforcement at the Office of USTR during the Obama Administration.
- EPA: The transition team announced Dec. 16 that President-elect Biden is likely to nominate Michael Regan (pictured above) has his Environmental Protection Agency administrator. Regan currently leads the North Carolina Department of Environmental Quality and previously served as the southeast regional director for the Environmental Defense Fund.
- Interior: Congresswoman Deb Haaland (D-New Mexico) was selected Dec. 17 as President-elect Biden’s nominee for Interior secretary. If confirmed, Rep. Haaland would be the first Native American Interior secretary. She serves as Chair of the Natural Resources Subcommittee on National Parks, Forests and Public Lands.
- Climate Policy: President-elect Biden named former EPA Administrator Gina McCarthy as his domestic climate policy chief. McCarthy will be charged with leading a new White House office of domestic climate policy. Before serving as EPA administrator during Obama’s second term, McCarthy served as the EPA’s air chief during the first term.
- Transportation: Former South Bend, Indiana, Mayor Pete Buttigieg was nominated by President-elect Biden to serve as Transportation secretary.
Industry remembers Gale Easterday
As many of you know, the patriarch of a longtime farming family, Gale Allen Easterday, 79, died on Dec. 10 in a tragic car accident. Gale and his wife Karen and their five children operated farming and cattle operations in Eastern Washington for more than 40 years. He was the father of 2018 NPC President Cully Easterday of Easterday Farms.
In lieu of flowers, donations can be made to the Gale Easterday Fund, which will provide under-served youth the opportunity to participate in livestock projects at area fairs and other ag-related activities. Donations can be made at any Numerica Credit Union branch, by calling (800) 433-1837, or by mail at c/o Gale Easterday Fund, 1970 Keene Road, Richland, WA 99352.
Latest trends in ag technology
Join Potato Expo 2021 for a discussion with industry leaders who are bringing innovation to the table and helping advance the potato industry. Discussions will focus on trends in technology, sustainability, the impact of the Covid-19 pandemic, and what advancements they see on the horizon that will advance potato production around the globe.
Moderated by RJ Andrus, Senior Manager of Raw Procurement, Idahoan Foods, the panel will feature:
- Rainer Borgmann, CEO, Spudnik Equipment Company
- Simcha Shore, CEO, Agro-Scout
- Gustavo Oberto, President, Global Agricultural Irrigation, Lindsay Irrigation
- Julian Sanchez, Director of Emerging Technology, Intelligent Solutions Group, John Deere
Learn more and register at potato-expo.com.
— National Potato Council
