Ag News
EPA appoints Snyder as agriculture advisor
Posted on Oct 14, 2021 at 0:00 AM
On Oct. 7, the EPA announced the appointment of Rod Snyder to become EPA’s Agriculture Advisor. Snyder will lead outreach and engagement efforts with the agricultural community for EPA.
Snyder is nationally recognized for his leadership at the intersection of agricultural and environmental policy and joins the agency after serving as president of Field to Market: The Alliance for Sustainable Agriculture, the largest multi-stakeholder initiative working to advance the sustainability of commodity crop farming in the United States. In that role, he forged science-based consensus among stakeholders across the food and agriculture value chain on issues such as climate change, water quality, biodiversity, and pest management.
The American Farm Bureau Federation welcomed Snyder’s appointment.
“AFBF congratulates Rod Snyder on his appointment as EPA’s agriculture advisor. There are several important issues facing agriculture that will require effective communication with EPA, including the new WOTUS rule, among other initiatives and regulations,” said AFBF President Zippy Duvall. “As issues are deliberated within EPA, it is critical for the perspectives of farmers and ranchers to be represented and Rod will be that voice. Of course, it’s equally critical for EPA to engage directly with farmers and ranchers and I’m also confident Rod will be a strong advocate for such engagement and collaboration, as he has demonstrated in several roles. We look forward to continuing to work with him in this new capacity to ensure farmers and ranchers are heard at EPA.”
House Agriculture Committee Chairman David Scott also expressed approval of Snyder’s selection.
“Rod’s work on behalf of America’s farmers and ranchers is well known, as is his passion for ensuring racial justice, equity and inclusion in agriculture, and I know that he will continue to be a voice for all agricultural producers and rural communities,” Scott said.
Prior to his time at Field to Market, Snyder worked for the National Corn Growers Association and CropLife America. As a longtime champion of agricultural solutions to climate change, he has previously organized farmer delegations to participate in UN Climate Summits in Paris and Copenhagen. In 2015, Snyder co-founded the Sustainable Agriculture Summit, which has grown to be the largest and most prominent annual sustainable agriculture conference in North America. Snyder holds a bachelor’s degree in political science from Eastern University in St. Davids, Pennsylvania. He resides on his family farm in Shenandoah Junction, West Virginia.
“I am honored to serve as EPA’s Agriculture Advisor as we forge practical, science-based solutions that protect the environment and ensure a vibrant and productive agricultural system,” Snyder said. “America’s farmers and ranchers are vital partners in achieving clean air and clear water, all while playing the critical role of delivering a healthy and secure food supply.”
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