Sheets is ISDA AD for econ. development

INDIANAPOLIS, Ind. — Lt. Governor Becky Skillman announced the appointment of Gina Sheets as assistant director for economic development for the Indiana State Department of Agriculture (ISDA). Sheets will help define and nurture economic opportunity in all areas of Indiana agriculture.

A native of Clinton County, Sheets serves as CEO and director of economic development for the Clinton County Chamber of Commerce. She coordinated Clinton County’s small business development activities and facilitated discussion between government leaders and private developers on infrastructure issues, wind energy development and land use planning. Further, she oversaw the Clinton County farmers’ market and created a renewable energy development initiative to establish the county’s first industrial symbiosis biorefinery.

She and her husband, Travis, live on a farm in rural Clinton County where they raise freezer beef, pasture poultry, rainbow trout, eggs and produce for direct consumer marketing, including farmers’ markets. Sheets will start with the ISDA Aug. 10.

NACD names Loudenslager as new CEO

WASHINGTON, D.C. — The National Assoc. of Conservation Districts (NACD) announced Doug Loudenslager will be its new CEO, effective July 13.

Loudenslager brings extensive association and financial management experience to the table. He most recently served as chief operating officer for the National FFA Organization and National FFA Foundation in Indianapolis, Ind. Prior to his time at FFA, he had a 17-year career in sales, management and training for Edward Jones Investments. He also served as executive director of the Ohio Soybean Assoc. and was a high school vocational agriculture educator.

Loudenslager was raised as part of a conservation-minded family on a crop and swine operation in central Ohio. He holds a bachelor’s degree in Agriculture Education from The Ohio State University and an MBA from Washington University in St. Louis, Mo.

Morton Buildings announces new leader

MORTON, Ill. — Morton Buildings, Inc. (MBI) is pleased to announce the arrival of Jeff Neihouser as its new company president.

Neihouser brings more than 20 years of industry experience to MBI. For eight years, Neihouser has held the position of general manager at FBi Buildings, and has served on the board for the National Frame Building Assoc. as both a director and two terms as chair.

Morton Buildings operates more than 100 construction centers and has sales offices in 36 states. Morton constructs thousands of buildings each year and has nearly 500,000 satisfied customers.

Parker assumes leadership of AAA

WASHINGTON, D.C. — Dr. Elizabeth Parker, chief veterinarian for the National Cattlemen’s’ Beef Assoc. (NCBA), was named as the chair of the Animal Agriculture Alliance (Alliance) board of directors.
Parker, who came to Washington as the 1999-2000 American Veterinary Medical Assoc. Congressional Science Fellow for the American Assoc. for the Advancement of Science’s Fellowship Program, has served on the Alliance board since 2007. She focuses on issues related to animal health, animal welfare and food safety and security, especially those being debated within government agencies and in Congress.

Prior to joining NCBA, she was based in Rome as an international consultant, avian influenza and planning operations officer for the Food and Agricultural Organization of the UN, where she worked on highly pathogenic avian influenza.

Farmetrics announces top 10 winners for 2008

ST. LOUIS, Mo. — The Farmetrics Prediction Market, which offers participants an innovative way to gain critical information on planted acreage, yield and harvest for a variety of crops, announced the top 10 winners for its 2008 contests.

Winners were determined by the number of Reward Points they accumulated, which are awarded based on the accuracy of the participants’ predictions versus the USDA results for the year. These points can be redeemed for award cards, which can be used for a variety of retail merchandise, travel and entertainment options.
Throughout 2008, participants in Farmetrics made weekly predictions at www.farmetrics.com based on the county the user selected. Each county offered contests relative to crops produced in the area and the specific crop season. New contests began each week, during which time all predictions from the previous week were aggregated and shared, providing participants with an overview of other predictions made in that specific county and across the country.

In addition to receiving Reward Points based on accuracy, participants were awarded Bonus Reward Points for consistent participation. Pamela Cutchall of Jonesville, Mich., a manufacturing firm controller and farmer, won the most Reward Points in 2008. She has been a Farmetrics participant for two years and plans to purchase a large flat screen television with her winnings.

Other Farm World-area winners are: Brad Adams of Urbana, Ill., Sean Elliot of Chebanse, Ill., Damian Adams of Clifton, Ill., Scott Fisher of Decatur, Ind., Eric Miller of Ligonier, Ind., and Donald Johnson of Camden, Mich.