Agriculture Secretary Announces Cotton Board Appointments

Randall Weiseman Alabama, Cotton, Field Crops, Florida, Georgia, Industry News Release

From the Cotton Board:

cotton-logo(MEMPHIS, TN) – Agriculture Secretary Tom Vilsack today announced the appointment of 12 members and 14 alternates to The Cotton Board. The Cotton Board is made up of cotton producers and importers appointed by the Secretary to oversee the Cotton Research & Promotion Program.

The Cotton Board Chairman, David Grant, a producer from Garysburg, North Carolina was pleased with Secretary Vilsack’s appointments saying, “I look forward to working with the new appointees and gaining their diverse perspective about the activities of our Board and our industry, as well as leaning on the experience and knowledge of the Members and Alternates who have been re-appointed to serve.“

The newly appointed member is: Debra R. Barrett, Producer, Edroy, TX. The newly appointed alternate members are: Chuckie Ward, Importer, Hickory, NC; Marshall D. Draughn, Importer, Severna Park, MD; Pamela Hunter, Importer, Frisco, TX; Donna B. Winters, Producer, Lake Providence, LA; David Dunlow, Producer, Roanoke Rapids, NC; Michael Popp, Producer, El Campo, TX; and Dustin Mancebo, Producer, Dos Palos, CA.

The re-appointed members are: Rodger C. Glaspey, Importer, Fresno, CA; Patricia M. Reber, Importer, Plymouth, MN; Carlos Moore, Importer, Naples, FL; Maureen Gray, Importer, New York, NY; Debi M. Gregg, Importer, Huntington Beach, CA; Aaron A. Barcellos, Producer, Los Banos, CA; George G. LaCour, Jr., Producer, Morganza, LA; Marty E. White, Producer, Jonesboro, AR; James C. Robertson, Jr., Producer, Indianola, MS; David M. Grant, Producer, Garysburg, NC; and T. Mark Hegi, Producer, Petersburg, TX. The re-appointed alternate members are: Courtney OKeefe, Importer, Quincy, MA; Stefanie M. Rotta, Importer, Elkins Park, PA; Richard B. Bransford, Producer, Lonoke, AR; Tom J. Gary, Producer, Greenwood, MS; and Bryan K. Patterson, Producer, Amherst, TX. Secretary Vilsack also re-appointed Marshal Cohen of East Moriches, NY to serve as a Consumer Advisor to the Board.

Each of these appointees will serve 3-year terms beginning January 1, 2015, and ending December 31, 2017.

Secretary Vilsack also selected Heidi Goold, Importer, Pewaukee, WI as an alternate member whose term expires on December 31, 2015, and Sigifredo Valverde, Producer, Shallowater, TX as an alternate member whose term expires on December 31, 2016.

The Cotton Research and Promotion Program is designed to advance the position of cotton in the marketplace. It is funded by assessments on all domestically produced cotton and imports of foreign-produced cotton and cotton-containing products, and is authorized by the Cotton Research and Promotion Act of 1966. USDA’s Agricultural Marketing Service oversees operations of the Board.