SALT LAKE CITY, UTAH, US — Verity Ulibarri of the United Sorghum Checkoff Program was elected chairwoman of the US Grains Council’s board of directors at its annual board meeting on July 31.

Ulibarri operates a family farm in Grady, New Mexico, US, producing sorghum, wheat, forage crops and cattle while also working as the agribusiness relationship manager at American AgCredit. Ulibarri has served on the Council’s board of directors since 2020 and previously served as the chairwoman for USCP in 2020.

“I feel this industry — farming, in particular; getting your hands dirty, praying for favorable weather, and managing and mitigating hazards while having extreme amounts of capital at risk and hoping for the best to build a brighter future — it’s a higher calling,” Ulibarri said. “When you answer that calling, you have a responsibility to make a difference — not just for yourself, but for an entire sector, community and industry — but ultimately for your family and our future generations.”

  In addition to Ulibarri, the delegates elected Mark Wilson of the Illinois Corn Marketing Board as vice chairman and Jay Reiners of the Nebraska Corn Board as secretary-treasurer. Jennie Schmidt of the Maryland Grains Producer Utilization board and Curt Mether of Iowa Corn Growers Association were also elected as at-large directors.

The USGC board of directors also includes:

Brent Boydston, Kansas Corn: past chairman; Jim Reed, Illinois Corn Marketing Board: at-large director; Jim O’Connor, Minnesota Corn Research and Promotion Council: at-large director; Greg Hibner, J.D. Heiskell: agribusiness sector director; Craig Willis, Eco-Energy: ethanol sector director; Jay Fischer, Missouri Corn Growers Association: corn sector director; Adam Schindler, United Sorghum Checkoff Program: sorghum sector director; Josh Roe, Kansas Corn Commission: state checkoff sector director; Nathan Boll, North Dakota Barley Council: barley sector director; and Ryan LeGrand, US Grains Council: president and chief executive officer.  

 Ulibarri shared her goals for the year and unveiled her chairwoman’s theme, Cultivate the Future, during her incoming remarks.

“In my experience with the Council, we never have issues challenging the status quo — we push through existing boundaries and increase market share so that we build on what we have now and exceed current expectations — and I encourage each of you to continue that path forward,” Ulibarri said.