Verity Ulibarri Elected U.S. Grains Council Chairwoman During Annual Summer Meeting
Photo From left to right (rear): At-Large Director Jim O’Connor; Agribusiness Sector Director Greg Hibner; State Checkoff Sector Director Josh Roe; Barley Sector Director Nathan Boll; Ethanol Sector Director Craig Willis; At-Large Director Jim Reed; At-Large Director Curt Mether; (front) At-Large Director Jennie Schmidt; Secretary-Treasurer Jay Reiners; Past Chairman Brent Boydston; Ulibarri; USGC President and CEO Ryan LeGrand; Vice Chairman Mark Wilson; Corn Sector Director Jay Fischer; and Sorghum Sector Director Adam Schindler.
The delegates of the U.S. Grains Council (USGC) elected Verity Ulibarri of the United Sorghum Checkoff Program (USCP) as chairwoman of its USGC Board of Directors at its 64th Annual Board of Delegates Meeting held in Salt Lake City, Utah.
“I feel this industry – farming, in particular; getting your hands dirty, praying for favorable weather, and managing and mitigating hazards while having extreme amounts of capital at risk and hoping for the best to build a brighter future- it’s a higher calling,” Ulibarri said. “When you answer that calling, you have a responsibility to make a difference – not just for yourself, but for an entire sector, community and industry – but ultimately for your family and our future generations.”
Ulibarri operates a family farm in Grady, New Mexico, producing sorghum, wheat, forage crops and cattle while also working as the agribusiness relationship manager at American AgCredit. Ulibarri has served on the Council’s Board of Directors since 2020 and previously served as the chairwoman for USCP in 2020.
In addition to Ulibarri, the delegates elected Mark Wilson of the Illinois Corn Marketing Board as vice chairman and Jay Reiners of the Nebraska Corn Board as secretary-treasurer. Jennie Schmidt of the Maryland Grains Producer Utilization Board and Curt Mether of Iowa Corn Growers Association were also elected as at-large directors.
The USGC Board of Directors now includes:
Verity Ulibarri, United Sorghum Checkoff Program: Chairwoman
Mark Wilson, Illinois Corn Marketing Board: Vice Chairman
Jay Reiners, Nebraska Corn Board: Secretary-Treasurer
Brent Boydston, Kansas Corn: Past Chairman
Jennie Schmidt, Maryland Grains Producer Utilization Board: At-Large Director
Curt Mether, Iowa Corn Growers Association: At-Large Director
Jim Reed, Illinois Corn Marketing Board: At-Large Director
Jim O’Connor, Minnesota Corn Research and Promotion Council: At-Large Director
Greg Hibner, J.D. Heiskell: Agribusiness Sector Director
Craig Willis, Eco-Energy: Ethanol Sector Director
Jay Fischer, Missouri Corn Growers Association: Corn Sector Director
Adam Schindler, United Sorghum Checkoff Program: Sorghum Sector Director
Josh Roe, Kansas Corn Commission: State Checkoff Sector Director
Nathan Boll, North Dakota Barley Council: Barley Sector Director
Ryan LeGrand, U.S. Grains Council: President and CEO
Ulibarri shared her goals for the year and unveiled her chairwoman’s theme, Cultivate the Future, during her incoming remarks.
“In my experience with the Council, we never have issues challenging the status quo – we push through existing boundaries and increase market share so that we build on what we have now and exceed current expectations – and I encourage each of you to continue that path forward,” Ulibarri said.
