PMA expands government relations team
PMA expands government relations team
NEWARK, DE -- Produce Marketing Association officials announced March 13 that agriculture and government affairs specialist Tom O'Brien has been chosen as PMA's consulting lobbyist. Association leaders noted Mr. O'Brien's extensive experience gained as a state and federal government official and a lobbyist to the PMA government affairs staff, at a time when the industry is facing a host of critical federal legislative and regulatory issues.
"We are pleased to have Tom help represent PMA on Capitol Hill, given his expertise in legislative matters and prolific experience with many facets of the produce industry," PMA Vice President of Government Relations Kathy Means said in a statement. "Tom will help bring PMA's voice to bear on issues where our industry needs to be heard, including immigration reform, country of origin labeling, the farm bill and global trade."
Mr. O'Brien, with the legislative firm O'Brien DC, will work closely with PMA's government relations and public affairs staff, led by Ms. Means. He also will work with PMA's first chief scientific officer, Robert Whitaker, who will join the association staff officially on April 1.
Mr. O'Brien brings extensive experience to his new capacity with PMA -- gained both in state government as deputy director of California Gov. Gray Davis' Washington, DC, office, and in the federal government, serving as the associate administrator at the U.S. Department of Agriculture's Agricultural Marketing Service.
During his time with Gov. Davis, Mr. O'Brien represented the Davis administration before Congress and federal agencies, and served as an advisor on agriculture, trade and economic development matters. Highlights of his work with the USDA agency charged with facilitating the marketing of fruits and vegetables include the development of the nation's first organic food standards and the reform of the Perishable Agricultural Commodities Act.
In addition to Mr. O'Brien's extensive hands-on legislative and regulatory experience, he has served the specialty crop industry as a lobbyist working on key issues such as the 2007 farm bill. Earlier this month he was appointed to USDA's Agricultural Technical Advisory Committee on Trade in Fruits & Vegetables.
"With the addition of Tom as PMA's lobbyist consultant, we now have a team of well-skilled players in place to really make our case to key government officials," PMA President Bryan Silbermann said in the statement.
"I encourage PMA members to join the association's volunteer grassroots network," Mr. O'Brien added. "Every person's participation in this network is vital to the association's lobbying and advocacy efforts."
"We are pleased to have Tom help represent PMA on Capitol Hill, given his expertise in legislative matters and prolific experience with many facets of the produce industry," PMA Vice President of Government Relations Kathy Means said in a statement. "Tom will help bring PMA's voice to bear on issues where our industry needs to be heard, including immigration reform, country of origin labeling, the farm bill and global trade."
Mr. O'Brien, with the legislative firm O'Brien DC, will work closely with PMA's government relations and public affairs staff, led by Ms. Means. He also will work with PMA's first chief scientific officer, Robert Whitaker, who will join the association staff officially on April 1.
Mr. O'Brien brings extensive experience to his new capacity with PMA -- gained both in state government as deputy director of California Gov. Gray Davis' Washington, DC, office, and in the federal government, serving as the associate administrator at the U.S. Department of Agriculture's Agricultural Marketing Service.
During his time with Gov. Davis, Mr. O'Brien represented the Davis administration before Congress and federal agencies, and served as an advisor on agriculture, trade and economic development matters. Highlights of his work with the USDA agency charged with facilitating the marketing of fruits and vegetables include the development of the nation's first organic food standards and the reform of the Perishable Agricultural Commodities Act.
In addition to Mr. O'Brien's extensive hands-on legislative and regulatory experience, he has served the specialty crop industry as a lobbyist working on key issues such as the 2007 farm bill. Earlier this month he was appointed to USDA's Agricultural Technical Advisory Committee on Trade in Fruits & Vegetables.
"With the addition of Tom as PMA's lobbyist consultant, we now have a team of well-skilled players in place to really make our case to key government officials," PMA President Bryan Silbermann said in the statement.
"I encourage PMA members to join the association's volunteer grassroots network," Mr. O'Brien added. "Every person's participation in this network is vital to the association's lobbying and advocacy efforts."
