WASHINGTON, Oct. 13, 2006-Agriculture Secretary Mike Johanns today renewed the Agricultural Air Quality Task Force (AAQTF) and named 29 individuals to serve as members. Members will serve two-year terms that will end September 30, 2008.

AAQTF advises the Secretary on agricultural air quality issues. Its mandate is to strengthen and coordinate USDA's air quality research efforts and identify cost-effective ways to help the agriculture industry improve air quality and meet federal and local air quality emissions requirements.

"Members of this task force are noted scientists and other experts in air quality as it pertains to agriculture," Johanns said. "The selected individuals represent diverse interests and geography and they will provide excellent guidance to help USDA deal with agricultural air quality issues effectively."

The 29 members on the task force represent 16 states. Sixteen members are newly appointed and 13 were reappointed.

The following individuals are newly appointed members:

CALIFORNIA

Kevin Abernathy, California Dairy Campaign

Kristen Hughes, Sustainable Conservation

Paul Martin, Western United Dairymen

GEORGIA

Trisha Marsh-Johnson, Veterinary and Environmental Technical Solutions

IDAHO

Martin Bauer, Idaho Department of Environmental Quality

IOWA

Michael Blaser, Attorney, Brown Winick Law Firm

Jerry Hatfield, USDA-Agricultural Research Service

Chris Peterson, Producer, C&K Farms

Wendy Powers-Schilling, Iowa State University

KANSAS

Charles Rice, Kansas State University

Brian Lindley, No-till on the Plains, Inc.

MINNESOTA

Sagar Krupa, University of Minnesota

NEBRASKA

Sussanna Von Essen, University of Nebraska Medical Center-Omaha

NORTH CAROLINA

Robert Pike, Braswell Foods

PENNSYLVANIA

William Achor, Wenger's Feed Mill

TEXAS

Benjamin Weinheimer, Texas Cattle Feeder's Association

The following are reappointed members:

ARIZONA

Kevin Rogers, Arizona Farm Bureau Federation, Producer

CALIFORNIA

Cynthia Cory, California Farm Bureau Federation

Manuel Cunha, Nisei Farmers League

Roger Isom, California Cotton Ginners and Growers Association

MARYLAND

Phillip Wakelyn, National Cotton Council of America

NEW YORK

Douglas Shelmidine, Sheland Farms, Producer

NORTH CAROLINA

Dr. Viney P. Aneja, North Carolina State University

Sally Shaver, U.S. Environmental Protection Agency

OKLAHOMA

Annette Sharp, Central States Air Resource Agencies Association

TEXAS

Robert Avant, Jr., Producer

Bryan W. Shaw, Texas A&M University

VIRGINIA

Gary Baise, Attorney, Kilpatrick Stockton, LLP

WISCONSIN

Steven R. Kirkhorn, Marshfield Clinic, Mayo Clinic

Experts in agriculture, industry, health and science comprise the task force. Representatives from various USDA agencies-Natural Resources Conservation Service (NRCS), Forest Service, Economic Research Service, Agricultural Research Service and Cooperative State Research, Education, and Extension Service-also serve on this task force. The Chief of the NRCS serves as chair.

The 2006-2008 task force will tackle diverse air quality issues such as the reduction of criteria pollutants, carbon sequestration, ozone and ammonia emissions, greenhouse gases and the enhancement of opportunities for environmental trading markets for agriculture.

Additional information about the Agricultural Air Quality Task Force can be found at http://www.airquality.nrcs.usda.gov/AAQTF, or by contacting Diane Gelburd, NRCS Designated Federal Officer, at 202-720-2587 or e-mail: mailto:diane.gelburd@wdc.usda.gov.