Beginning Feb. 23, Ray Starling, a Sampson County native and advocate for the ag industry, began his new role on the White House’s National Economic Council (NEC), leaving his job as chief of staff for US Senator Thom Tillis (R-NC). Starling will serve as Special Assistant to the President for Agriculture, Trade, and Food Assistance.  The NEC, which receives little public attention, has a vitally important function in shaping the country’s economic policy.  The Council directly advises the president on economic issues and policy decisions. The Council is chaired by President Trump and consists of the following members: Gary Cohn (Assistant to the President for Economic Policy), Mike Pence (Vice President), Rex Tillerson (Secretary of State), Steven Mnuchin (Secretary of the Treasury), Sonny Perdue (Secretary of Agriculture), Wilbur Ross (Secretary of Commerce),Ben Carson (Secretary of Housing and Urban Development), Elaine Chao (Secretary of Transportation), Rick Perry (Secretary of Energy), Tom Price (Secretary of Health and Human Services), Linda McMahon (Administrator of the Small Business Administration), Scott Pruitt (Administrator of the Environmental Protection Agency), Mick Mulvaney (Director of the Office of Management and Budget), Robert Lighthizer (United States Trade Representative), Andrew Bremberg (Assistant to the President for Domestic Policy), and Michael T. Flynn (Assistant to the President for National Security).

Starling, originally from Autryville, was raised on his family’s farm, which is still run by his parents and siblings. Starling earned a bachelor’s degree from  NCSU’s College of Agriculture and, later, a law degree from UNC-Chapel Hill.  A former national vice president of FFA, he was also an adjunct professor of Agricultural and Food Law and Policy at the UNC-Chapel Hill and Campbell University. Starling served NC Ag Commissioner Steve Troxler as general counsel to the N.C. Department of Agriculture & Consumer Services. Prior to joining Tillis' staff in D.C., Starling served as general counsel to Tillis during his tenure as speaker of the NC House of Representatives.

Last year, he spoke to the Sampson County Friends of Agriculture’s 15th Rally for Agriculture about the importance of agriculture to the nation’s prosperity. He touched on his and Senator Tillis’ efforts in safeguarding the interests of farmers in TTP and TTIP and protecting them from the expanding scope of EPA regulations.