Kansas Department of Agriculture

TOPEKA — The Kansas Department of Agriculture again will be served by an agricultural advocacy, marketing and outreach team advisory board. Members of the board have been appointed by Jackie McClaskey, acting Secretary of Agriculture, and will serve terms of various lengths beginning this month.

“The Department of Agriculture is proud to serve the state’s largest industry and this re-established advisory board will assist our nine-member marketing team as they strive to serve all Kansans through innovative programming and delivering solutions designed to create an environment that encourages growth and expansion in agriculture while increasing pride in and awareness of agriculture,” McClaskey said.

The board consists of 12 members who will advise the KDA advocacy, marketing and outreach team on programs and services offered by the team.  Advisory board members will work with the advocacy, marketing and outreach team on the state trademark program, From the Land of Kansas; international agricultural development; agricultural business development and agricultural communication and education program areas.

Western Kansas representatives on the board include: Mike Bergmeier with Shield Agricultural Equipment, Hutchison; Ron Hirst, a Kansas rural economic development professional, Hutchison; agricultural education instructor Lindsey Huseman, Ellsworth; Brian Linin, chief financial officer at Frontier Ag Inc., Goodland; Derek Sawyer, a Kansas farmer and rancher from McPherson; and farmer Ron Suppes, Dighton.

Each member was appointed by the secretary of agriculture to serve a one, two or three-year term. Members were selected based on their knowledge and leadership in specific sectors of the agricultural industry.

To be eligible, the board members must currently reside in Kansas and will be asked to serve on a minimum of one sub-committee.

The board will meet on a biannual basis with the committees meeting quarterly.