Source: USDA, 10/26/20

The U.S. Department of Agriculture (USDA) today announced the appointment of 13 members and 13 alternate members to serve on the Cotton Board. All appointees will serve three-year terms beginning Dec. 31, 2020 and ending Dec. 31, 2023.

Re-appointed members are:
• Pace Hindsley, Producer, Marvell, Arkansas
• Dustin Mancebo, Producer, Dos Palos, California
• David M. Dunlow, Producer, Henrico, North Carolina
• Bryan K. Patterson, Producer, Amherst, Texas
• Debra R. Barrett, Producer, Edroy, Texas
• Sigi Valverde, Producer, Shallowater, Texas
• Chuck J. Ward, Importer, Hickory, North Carolina
• Scott Johnson, Importer, San Francisco, California
• Akiko Inui, Importer, New York, New York
• Laurie A. Sutandar, Importer, Frisco, Texas
• Debi M. Gregg, Importer, Riverside, California

Re-appointed alternate members are:
• Rafe A. Banks, Producer, Clarkedale, Arkansas
• Rebecca E. Thom, Producer, Lake Providence, Louisiana
• Patrick L. Johnson, Jr., Producer, Tunica, Mississippi
• Kent K. Smith, Producer, Rocky Mount, North Carolina
• Michael C. Popp, Producer, El Campo, Texas
• Jon T. Jones, Producer, Floydada, Texas
• James W. McKinnon, Importer, Rye, New York
• Dean Draughn, Importer, Severna Park, Maryland
• Barbara Brereton Buhr, Importer, West Hartford, Connecticut
• Stefanie Rotta, Importer, Birmingham, Michigan

Newly appointed members are:
• Ben B. Guthrie, Producer, St. Joseph, Louisiana
• Thomas S. Hayes III, Producer, Clarksdale, Mississippi

Newly appointed alternate members are:
• Matthew A. Cauzza, Producer, Bakersfield, California
• Justin W. Cave, Producer, Ackerly, Texas
• Susanne St. Onge-Simpson, Importer, San Francisco, California

In addition, USDA appointed Jennifer Pisula, Importer, Wilmington, Delaware, to serve in the importer alternate member #15 position that expires Dec. 31, 2022. Willie A. Scott, Producer, Collins, Georgia, was appointed to serve as advisor with a term that will expire Dec. 31, 2023.

The Cotton Research and Promotion Act of 1966 authorized a national cotton research and promotion program that is both industry-operated and funded. More information is available on the Agricultural Marketing Service (AMS) Cotton Board webpage or on the board’s website at www.cottonboard.org.

Since 1966, Congress has authorized the development of industry-funded research and promotion boards to provide a framework for agricultural industries to pool their resources and combine efforts to develop new markets, strengthen existing markets and conduct important research and promotion activities. AMS provides oversight of 21 boards, paid for by industry assessments, which helps ensure fiscal accountability and program integrity.