Paul Martin Petaluma, California Deputy Director, Permit Assistance California Governor’s Office of Business and Economic Development (GO-Biz)

Arizona dairyman Paul Rovey was elected chairman of the checkoff-funded U.S. Dairy Export Council (USDEC) at the association’s membership meeting in October. Rovey had been serving as interim chairman, filling the seat made vacant by previous chairman Les Hardesty’s retirement from the industry. He is the fourth elected chairman in the organization’s history, following Elwood Kirkpatrick (1995-2004), Tom Camerlo (2004-2009) and Hardesty (2009-2012).

Derek M. Bickhart Beltsville, Maryland Research Geneticist (Animal) Animal Improvement Programs Laboratory, USDA's Agricultural Research Service

Progressive Dairyman Editor Fredric Ridenour recently spoke with photographer Helen Thomas Robson about her artwork and the creation of this issue’s cover photo.

Rep. Frank Lucas of Oklahoma issued the following statement after the House Republican Conference re-elected him to serve a second term as Chairman of the Agriculture Committee for the 113th Congress. "It is an honor to serve in this leadership position and I am grateful for the opportunity to continue working on behalf of America’s farmers, ranchers, and rural constituents.

Lydia Harrison of Durham, Ontario, and Dasha Metropolitansky of Oakville, Ontario, have been named this year's first-place winners in the 28th annual Canadian Young Speakers for Agriculture competition. The competition took place Nov. 3 at the Royal Winter Fair.

Daryl Schraad Des Moines, Iowa President Kemin Animal Nutrition and Health – North America

  Chris Parry
Langley, British Columbia
General Manager
Westgen  

Brian Nelson Turlock, California Regional Services Specialist – Western Region Accelerated Genetics