As part of his presidency, Mr. Sandison will lead NASDA in hosting the 2027 Annual Meeting, which will be held September 12–15, in Kennewick, Washington. The gathering will bring agriculture leaders from across the nation to the state, highlighting Washington’s farms, fisheries and forests, and reinforcing NASDA’s role in shaping smart agricultural policy that works for farms, ranches, and agricultural businesses of all kinds.

NASDA’s newly elected 2027 Board of Directors includes:

• President: Director Derek Sandison, Washington
• Vice President: Secretary Mike Naig, Iowa
• Second Vice President: Commissioner Tyler Harper, Georgia
• Secretary-Treasurer: Commissioner Ashley Randle, Massachusetts
• Past President: Commissioner Amanda Beal, Maine
• At-Large: Director Jerry Costello, Illinois
• Northeastern Representative: Secretary Anson Tebbetts, Vermont
• Southern Representative: Secretary Kevin Atticks, Maryland
• Midwestern Representative: Director Brian Baldridge, Ohio
• Western Representative: Director Chanel Tewalt, Idaho

Mr. Sandison also announced the leadership of NASDA’s six policy committees:

• Animal Agriculture: Director Sherry Vinton (Nebraska), Chair; Secretary Randy Romanski (Wisconsin), Vice Chair
• Food Systems and Nutrition Committee: Commissioner Bryan Hurlburt (Connecticut), Chair; Director J.J. Goicoechea (Nevada), Vice Chair
• Marketing and International Trade: Commissioner Richard Ball (New York), Chair; Secretary Mike Beam (Kansas), Vice Chair
• Natural Resources and Environment: Secretary Jeff Witte (New Mexico), Chair; Secretary Kevin Atticks (Maryland), Vice Chair
• Plant Agriculture and Pesticide Regulation: Director Chris Chinn (Missouri), Chair; Commissioner Charles Green (Virginia), Vice Chair
• Rural Development and Financial Security: Secretary Anson Tebbetts (Virginia), Chair; Director Don Lamb (Indiana), Vice Chair

In 2015, Mr. Sandison was appointed director of the Washington State Department of Agriculture, and oversees the state’s animal health, plant inspections, food safety, fruit and grain inspection and certification, weights and measures, pesticide registration, and marketing Washington’s agricultural products regionally and globally. He previously served as director of the State Department of Ecology’s Office of Columbia River, where he oversaw numerous water supply development projects important to farmers and ranchers. Mr. Sandison was also an architect of the Yakima River Basin Integrated Water Resource Management Plan and has played a key role in the Odessa Ground Water Replacement Project.