To facilitate the basic function of the Conference, Councils have been appointed to consider the improvements in and modification of the NCIMS agreements.
Each Council consists of twenty members, plus a Chair and Vice Chair. Membership consists of ten representatives from State Health and Agriculture Departments, five Milk Processor representatives, and five Milk Producer representatives. In addition, each Council has an FDA consultant.
Additionally, there are Committees which study and evaluate “Proposals” submitted to the Conference for consideration.
The “Proposals” submitted for deliberation at a Conference are printed prior to the Conference and mailed to persons as they pre-register. When the Conference convenes, each Council discusses the proposals assigned to them by the Program Committee, and recommendations are made by the Council to the Delegates. Registered Conference participants may attend and take part in the discussion of any Council.
Anyone who has attended a conference may volunteer to serve on a council or committee by sending an email to ncims,frye@outlook.com. Please provide your name, agency or company affiliation, mailing address, email address and phone number where you may be reached when a vacancy occurs. Also please indicate the council and/or committee on which you may wish to serve. You will be added to an on-going list of volunteers for access by the council and committee chairs.
Members of the Councils are as follows:
COUNCIL I - Laws and Regulations
Council I is responsible for Laws and Regulations.
Brian Wise, Chair | Amanda Rife, Vice Chair |
Ohio Dept. of Agriculture | Land O' Lakes |
Reynoldsburg, OH | Carlisle, PA |
Rating and/or Enforcement | Processors |
Dustin Cox | Sharon Balhorn |
NM Dept of Agriculture | Yoplait - USA |
Albuquerque, NM | Minneapolis, MN |
Patrick Hash | Cindy Coulter |
IN Board of Animal Health | H. P. Hood, Inc. |
Indianapolis, IN | Winchester, VA |
Christopher Hylkema | Paul Hill |
NY Dept of Agriculture & Markets | DFA Dairy Brands |
Albany, NY | Johnson City, TN |
Gena Reich | Mike Melville |
WA Dept of Agriculture | Publix Supermarkets, Inc. |
Kennewick, WS | Deerfield Beach, FL |
Barb Koeltzow | Brad Suhling |
MI Dept of Animal Health | Prairie Farms Dairy, Inc. |
Millington, MI | St. Louis, MO |
Tony Shumaker | Alternate Processor : |
SD Dept of Agriculture | Beth Farrow |
Mitchell, SD | General Mills, Inc. |
Murfreesboro, TN | |
Karel Smit | |
Salem. OR | Producers |
OR Dept of Agriculture | |
Guy Sprouls | Tom Berry |
IL Dept of Public Health | Associated Milk Producers Inc. |
Springfield, IL | New Ulm, MN |
Sofia Stifflemire | Michael Campbell |
TX Dept of Agriculture | Darigold, Inc. |
Austin, TX | Seattle, WA |
Danny Withers | Ashley Hoover |
TN Dept of Agriculture | Maryland and Virginia Producer Cooperative |
Nashville, TN | Tyrone, PA |
Alternate Agency Members: | Michael Mund |
Nathan Campbell - Rating | Lone Star Milk |
Indiana Dept of Animal Health | Windhorst, TX |
Susan Stence - Regulatory | |
IA Dept of Agriculture | Annie Piepenhagen |
Maryland & Virginia Milk Producers Coop. | |
FDA Consultant: Curt Griner | Bowie, MD |
FDA Technical Advisors: Steve Sims, Dave Pearce | Alternate Producer: Steve Lehman, Michigan Milk Producers |
Exec. Bd. Consultant: Patrick Gorden, DVM | |
COUNCIL II - Responsibilities of Conference Participants
Council II is responsible for Conference Participants.
Laura Traas, Chair | Vice Chair - VACANT |
WI Dept of Agriculture, Trade & Consumer Protection | |
Madison, WI | |
Rating and/or Enforcement | Processors |
Robert Carrier | Peggy Good |
WI Dept of Agriculture, Trade & Consumer Protection | Turkey Hill |
Madison, WI | Conestoga, PA |
Paul Dix | Jodeen F. Meenderink |
MD Dep of Health | DFA Dairy Brands |
Hagerstown, MD | Hopper, UT |
Armour Peterson | Don Pagh |
IL Dept of Public Health | Saputo Dairy Foods |
Rockford, IL | Decatur, AL |
Kathy Pieper | Rebecca Piston |
NE Dept of Agriculture | HP Hood, LLC |
Lincoln, NE | Portland, ME |
Anne Quilter | David Robbins |
CA Dept of Food & Agriculture | DFA Dairy Brands |
Sacramento, CA | Rockford, IL |
Gene Stegeman | Alternate Processor : |
SD Dept of Agriculture | TDB |
Brookings, SD | Employer |
City, State | |
Heather Torino | |
NY Dept of Agriculture & Markets | |
Albany, NY | Producers |
Kristopher Welch | Robert Cooksey |
OF Dept of Agriculture | Maryland & Virginia Milk Producers Coop |
Salem, OR | Worton, MD |
Robert G. Wilson | David Kedzierski |
OR Department of Agriculture | United Dairymen of Arizona |
Salem, OR | Maricopa, AZ |
Linda Stahlnecker | Justin Olsen |
ME Dept of Agriculture | Dairy Farmers of America |
Agusta, ME | St. Paul, MN |
Alternate Agency Members: | Rylee Sterrett |
James Williamson - Regulatory | Prairie Farms Dairy |
SC Dept of Health | Angola, IN |
TBD - Rating | |
Ben Chapin | |
FDA Consultant: Dr. Thomas Graham, Ph.D. | Michigan Milk Producers Association |
FDA Technical Advisors: Steve Walker, Ph.D., Les Boian | Novi, MI |
Exec. Bd. Consultant: Roger Hooi | |
Alternate Producer : | |
TBD | |
Employer | |
City, State |
COUNCIL III - Application of Conference Agreements
Council III is responsible for Application of Conference Agreements.
Damon Miller, Chair | Nicole Neeser, DVM, Vice Chair |
Dairy Farmers of America | MN Department of Agriculture |
Dallas, TX | St. Paul, MN |
Rating and/or Enforcement | Processors |
Stephen Beam, Ph.D. | Jason Crafts |
CA Department of Food & Agriculture | Gossner Foods, Inc. |
Sacramento, CA | Logan, UT |
Lindsey Giles-Austin | Denise DuFresne |
MI Dept of Agriculture & Rural Development | Saputo Dairy Foods |
Ithaca, MI | Seabrook, TX |
Harris Hollingsworth | Charlie Mack |
TX Department of State Health Services | Prairie Farms Dairy, Inc |
Austin, TX | Edwardsville, IL |
Sarah Horning | Helen Piotter |
IN State Board of Animal Health | DFA Dairy Brands |
Indianapolis, IN | Macy, IN |
Wayne Kasacek | Angela Tuxhorn |
CT Dept of Agriculture | Leprino Foods |
Hartford, CT | Denver, CO |
Shannon Maloney | Alternate Processor : |
MI State Milk Board | Wendy Landry |
Jefferson City, MI | HP Hood, LLC |
Portland, ME | |
VACANT | |
Producers | |
Jarrod Olbres | Bryce Bowman |
RI Dept of Public Health | Northwest Dairy Association/Darigold |
Providence, RI | Seattle, WA |
Audra Phillips | Dean Letter |
AL Dept of Health | Michigan Milk Producers Association |
Montgomery, AL | Novi, MI |
John Alvin Woods | Brandon Meiwes |
MS State Dept of Health | Dairy Farmers of America |
Jackson, MS | Fort Worth, TX |
Alternate Agency Members: | Kevin R. Olsen |
Amanda Phinazee - Regulatory | Prairie Farms Dairy, Inc. |
GA Dept of Agriculture | Edwardsville, IN |
Michelle Starkey -Rating | TBD |
OH Dept of Agriculture | Employer |
City, State | |
FDA Consultant: Bob Altobelli | |
FDA Technical Advisor: Tim Roddy | Alternate Producer: TBD |
Exec. Bd. Consultant: Stephen Beam, Ph.D. | Employer |
City, State | |
Updated as of Executive Board Meeting Ballot March 27, 2023