U.S. Farmers & Ranchers in Action announces newly elected board of directors

This year’s board includes leaders across the food value chain

ST. LOUIS--(BUSINESS WIRE)--U.S. Farmers & Ranchers in Action (USFRA) announced today its newly elected board of directors. Marilyn Hershey, Dairy Management Inc chair, will chair the USFRA board for the second year.

“I am thrilled to chair the board once again and work with these leaders across the agriculture sector in the coming year,” said Hershey. “The board is a committed group of leaders representing farmers and ranchers together with the value chain leaders working to build the sustainable foods systems of the future.”

The 2023 board is led by a seven-member executive committee:

• Marilyn Hershey, Dairy Management Inc. – Chair
• Chip Bowling, Maryland Grain Producers Utilization Board – Vice Chair
• Michael Crinion, Edge Dairy Farmer Cooperative – Secretary
• Steve George, American Egg Board – Treasurer
• Anne Meis, Nebraska Soybean Board – Immediate Past Chair
• Doug Berven, Poet LLC – Premier At Large
• Julie Fussner, Culver Franchising System, LLC – At Large

The remaining members of the board, which is organized into Agriculture, Value Chain, and Food & Retail slates, are as follows:

• Hope Bentley, McDonalds – Food & Retail Board Member
• Marcus Bernard, Minorities in Agriculture, Natural Resources, and Related Sciences (MANRRS) – Ag Leadership Board Member
• Jon Ebert, John Deere – Ag Value Chain Board Member
• Tim Faveri, Nutrien – Ag Value Chain Board Member
• Laurie Isley, United Soybean Board – Ag Leadership Board Member
• Rochelle Krusemark, Minnesota Soybean Research & Promotion Council – Ag Leadership Board Member
• Justin Ransom, Tyson Foods – Food & Retail Board Member
• Toni Stanger-McLaughlin, Native American Agriculture Fund (NAAF) – Ag Leadership Board Member

“I am delighted to announce the election of our 2023 board,” said Erin Fitzgerald, CEO of USFRA. “A sustainable future is only possible when collaboration occurs across food systems, and that spirit of collaboration is exemplified by our board. The board is leading for the future to create meaningful collaboration to advance the sustainable food systems of the future.”

More information about the USFRA’s board of directors can be found here.

ABOUT USFRA

U.S. Farmers & Ranchers in Action (USFRA) is a farmer-led 501(c)(3) comprised of 30+ organizations representing more than 700,000 farmers and ranchers across the country, as well as leading brands from the agritech and finance value chain, who are working to cultivate a shared vision for the future of U.S. sustainable food systems and a belief that bold action is needed. USFRA drives a broad range of projects that advance meaningful action and results in the co-creation of solutions for sustainable food production, climate change, and economic sustainability. USFRA is serving as the secretariat for a Decade of Ag, a shared vision for the food and agriculture sector now endorsed by more than 160 leaders and organizations. Learn more at www.usfarmersandranchers.org.