The U.S. Department of Agriculture announced the appointment of four members to serve on the Agricultural Marketing Service Grain Inspection Advisory Committee. The members will serve three-year terms effective immediately through Aug. 5, 2029.
Three new members join the committee: Danny Beyer, a sorghum and corn producer from Odem, Texas; Raquel Hansen, a soybean and corn producer from Owatonna, Minn.; and Cary Sifferath, vice president of the U.S. Grains and BioProducts Council in Alexandria, Va.
Mark Heil, senior advisor at Prairie Central Co-Op in Bloomington, Ill., was reappointed to the committee.
The advisory committee was established under the U.S. Grain Standards Act on Sept. 29, 1981. It represents the interests of all segments of the U.S. grain industry from producer to exporter.
The committee consists of 15 members appointed by the Secretary of Agriculture. Members represent grain producers, processors, merchandisers, handlers, exporters, consumers, grain inspection agencies and scientists.
The Grain Inspection Advisory Committee meets twice annually to advise AMS on the programs and services it delivers under the U.S. Grain Standards Act. The committee’s recommendations help AMS better meet the needs of its customers who operate in a changing marketplace.
Committee members serve without compensation but receive reimbursement for travel expenses.
The committee’s role is to provide guidance on grain inspection programs that affect the entire supply chain. Members bring expertise from different areas of the grain industry to inform AMS decision-making on standards and services.
The appointments fill positions on the 15-member committee that advises on grain quality standards, inspection procedures and related services that affect grain trade domestically and internationally.
