EPA announces members to the Farm, Ranch and Rural Communities Advisory Committee

LENEXA, Kan.- U.S. Environmental Protection Agency Administrator Michael S. Regan has announced the appointment of 18 new members and the reappointment of six members to the Farm, Ranch, and Rural Communities Federal Advisory Committee. The FRRCC provides independent policy advice and recommendations to the Administrator on crucial environmental issues affecting agriculture and rural communities.

Dr. Beth Sauerhaft, of American Farmland Trust, will remain as chair, and Mr. Michael Crowder, from Ducks Unlimited, will serve as vice-chair, leading the FRRCC’s work alongside 13 existing members whose terms expire November 2025. Together, these members bring a wealth of experience and represent a broad array of perspectives from academia, agriculture and allied industries, nongovernmental organizations, and state, local and tribal governments.

“EPA remains committed to ensuring agricultural and rural communities and are fully engaged as partners in our work to protect our environment and advance public health,” said EPA Administrator Michael S. Regan. “The diverse perspectives of these new appointees, along with our dedicated returning members, will be instrumental in helping us navigate environmental challenges and deliver science-based, practical solutions that strengthen our nation's food and agriculture systems for generations to come.”

The FRRCC will continue to be both productive and valuable to EPA. In addition to the recommendations submitted earlier this year, the committee has provided an additional series of 32 recommendations to Administrator Regan (pdf) on topics including improvements to the technical assistance EPA provides to rural communities, outreach and education on solar energy programs that support agriculture, and ways that EPA can scale up public-private partnerships and market-based approaches to accelerate the adoption of agricultural conservation practices. These recommendations represent the work the committee has done in 2024 in alignment with the committee charge set out by Administrator Regan. The Administrator looks forward to issuing the agency’s response to these recommendations in the coming weeks.

The selection process for new members began in July 2024, with EPA issuing a request for nominations that drew more than 80 applicants. The agency selected individuals from a diverse and highly qualified pool, ensuring representation across all 10 EPA regions and from 24 states, territories and the District of Columbia. Members were chosen for their expertise in key EPA priority areas, including climate change and sustainable agricultural practices and represent a variety of agricultural sectors, rural stakeholders, diverse geographies.

NEW MEMBERS

Megan Dwyer, Illinois Corn Growers Association, Bloomington, Illinois

Katherine English, English Family Farms, Fort Myers, Florida

Maria Fernanda Abilgaard, AgroFresh, Fairfield, California

Jamaica Gayle, Plant Based Products Council, Washington D.C.

Dr. Russell Hamlin, Grimmway Farms, Bakersfield, California

James Henderson, Richfield Ranch Ag Ventures Inc., La Jara, Colorado

Joe Ben Herrera, Yakama Nation Environmental Management Program, Toppenish, Washington

Janie Simms Hipp, Native Agriculture Financial Services, Fayetteville, Arkansas

Erik Huschitt, Badger State Ethanol, Monroe, Wisconsin

Stephen Logan, Logan Farms, Giliam, Louisiana

Mark Masters, Georgia Water Planning and Policy Center at Albany State University, Albany, Georgia

Ty Myer, Spokane Conservation District, Spokane, Washington

Dr. Michelle Miller, Center for Integrated Agricultural Systems, University of Wisconsin Madison, Madison, Wisconsin

Megan Rock, CHS, Inc., Inner Grove Heights, Minnesota

Justin Sherlock, Justin Sherlock Farms, Dazey, North Dakota

Chris Tanner, Tanner Farms, Norton, Kansas

J. Alan Weber, Biodiesel Coalition of Missouri, Columbia, Missouri

Kathryn Zerfuss, Pennsylvania Public Utility Commission, Harrisburg, Pennsylvania

RETURNING MEMBERS

William (Bill) Couser, Couser Cattle Company, Nevada, Iowa

Matthew Freund, Freund’s Farm/Cowpots LLC, East Canaan, Connecticut

David Graybill, Red Sunset Farm, Mifflintown, Pennsylvania

William Thomas (Tom) McDonald, Five Rivers Cattle Feeding, Dalhart, Texas

Dr. Graciela I. Ramirez-Toro, Inter American University of Puerto Rico, San Germán, Puerto Rico

Jeff M. Witte, New Mexico Department of Agriculture, Las Cruces, New Mexico

EXISTING MEMBERS

Dr. Beth Sauerhaft, American Farmland Trust, Chappaqua, New York (Committee Chair)

Brad Bray, Bray Farms, Cameron, Missouri

Hon. Eddie Crandell, Lake County Supervisor and Board Delegate, California

Michael Crowder, Ducks Unlimited, West Richland, Washington (Committee Vice-Chair)

Jennifer James, H & J Land & Co. And Auvergne Grain Co., Newport, Arkansas

Sarah Lucas, Michigan Office of Rural Development, Marquette, Michigan

Clay Pope, Pope Hilltop Farm, Loyal, Oklahoma

Dr. James Pritchett, Colorado State University, Fort Collins, Colorado

Dr. Nithya Rajan, Texas A & M University, College Station, Texas

Dr. Raymon Shange, Tuskegee University, Tuskegee, Alabama

Jennifer Simmelink, Kansas Soil Health Alliance, Esbon, Kansas

Dr. Chantel Simpson, North Carolina A & T State University, Greensboro, North Carolina

Ryan Smith, Danone North America, Chicago, Illinois

For more information about the committee, please visit the FRRCC website.