Local Ag Advocate Hicks Appointed to Federal Grain Inspection Committee

June 28, 2011 - PRLog -- Edgar Hicks has been appointed to serve on the Federal Grain Inspection Service (FGIS) Advisory Committee of the Grain Inspection, Packers and Stockyard Administration (GIPSA).  The announcement, by Secretary of Agriculture Vilsack, came in time for Hicks to attend the June 21st meeting in Kansas City.  The committee meets twice a year to advise GIPSA on the programs and services it delivers under the U.S. Grain Standards Act and recommends changes to allow GIPSA to improve its services to customers operating in a shifting market.

Members of the 15 person committee serve a three year term.  Hicks previously served in GIPSA in 1995 after a nomination by then Secretary Dan Glickman.  When asked how agriculture in the U.S. has changed, Hicks explained, “When I was first nominated, agriculture had a grain surplus and we were competing with China for corn exports.  This year we are faced with a tight supply/demand table.  I am honored by Secretary Vilsack’s appointment and hope to be a voice for domestic consumer interests.”

Hicks has a long history of service in the agricultural community. He currently serves on the CFTC’s Agricultural Advisory Committee, the Rural Nebraska Development Commission and USDA's Sustainable Agriculture Research & Education (SARE) Administrative Council.  Hicks is a Director at CFO Systems, LLC where his expertise serves clients in the agricultural and alternative energy industries. In the past, Hicks has served on the Executive Committee of The Nebraska State Grange and is currently President of the Kansas Black Farmers Association (Nicodemus, KS).  

For More Information Visit:

The GIPSA Site - http://www.gipsa.usda.gov/GIPSA/webapp?area=about&subject...

CFO Systems - http://www.cfosystemsllc.com

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