Letter Sent in Support of Keenum FCA Nomination

The NCC joined other agricultural organizations on a letter to the chairman and ranking member of the Senate Agriculture, Nutrition & Forestry Committee expressing support for the nomination of Dr. Mark Keenum to serve as a member of the Farm Credit Administration Board for the remainder of a six year term expiring May, 2014.

Published: July 16, 2008
Updated: July 16, 2008

 

July 15, 2008

 

The Honorable Tom Harkin
Chairman
Committee on Agriculture, Nutrition and Forestry
United States Senate
Washington, DC  20510

The Honorable Saxby Chambliss
Ranking Member
Committee on Agriculture, Nutrition and Forestry 

Dear Senators Harkin and Chambliss:

The undersigned organizations are writing to express our support for the nomination of Dr. Mark Keenum to serve as a member of the Farm Credit Administration Board for the remainder of a six year term expiring May, 2014. We respectfully request a hearing be held at the earliest date and urge the Senate to act expeditiously to confirm his nomination.

Dr. Keenum has established a distinguished record of service, including serving as Agriculture Assistant and Chief of Staff in the office of Senator Thad Cochran (R-MS) and most recently as Under Secretary for Farm and Foreign Agricultural Service at the Department of Agriculture.  Further, his education and broad experience in policy development, implementation and over-sight significantly enhance his qualifications to serve on the FCA Board. During his distinguished service, Mark has gained a deep appreciation for the importance of working in a bipartisan manner with diverse interests to successfully achieve results for U.S. agriculture. 

The Farm Credit Administration plays a vital role in overseeing and guiding the operations of the Farm Credit System instructions which provide important financing to farmers, ranchers, farmer-owned cooperatives and other eligible borrowers.  A sound Farm Credit System and an effective oversight agency are critical to production agriculture and the rural economy.

Our organizations represent a significant number of those who work in the food and agriculture sector.  We believe it is critically important to place a proven leader in this key position as expeditiously as possible. We believe Dr. Keenum is well-qualified for the position through his unique combination of education, experience and service and we urge his confirmation.

Sincerely,

Agricultural Retailers Association
American Association of Crop Insurers
American Beekeeping Federation
American Cotton Shippers Association
American Farm Bureau Federation
American Honey Producers Association
AMCOT, Inc.
American Sheep Industry Association
American Soybean Association
American Sugar Alliance
CropLife America
Dairy Farmers of America
Farm Credit Council
Florida, Texas and Hawaii Sugar Growers
National Association of Conservation Districts
National Association of Wheat Growers
National Barley Growers Association
National Cattlemen’s Beef Association
National Corn Growers Association
National Cotton Council of America
National Council of Farmer Cooperatives
National Farmers Union
National Pork Producers Council
National Potato Council
National Sorghum Producers
National Sunflower Association
Northwest States Association for Agricultural Stewardship
Society of American Florists
Southern Peanut Farmers Federation
Sweetener Users Association
The Fertilizer Institute
United Egg Producers
United Fresh Produce Association
USA Dry Pea and Lentil Council
USA Rice Federation
U.S. Canola Association
U.S. Rice Producers Association
Western Peanut Growers Association

cc:  Members of Agriculture Committee