New lead at NGFA
Michael Seyfert is to become the new president and CEO of the US National Grain and Feed Association (NGFA).
Seyfert is set to take on the role from March 1, succeeding Randy Gordon, who will retire by the end of March after serving nearly 43 years with the US agribusiness association.
NGFA chairperson, JoAnn Brouillette, managing partner of Demeter LP, said Seyfert has the vision, energy, intellect, experience, leadership qualities and contacts in Washington to build on NGFA’s already “strong record of achievement in serving the grain, animal feed/animal food, grain processing and milling, and export industry.”
Seyfert, who has extensive corporate and government experience, currently serves as director of government and industry affairs for FMC Corp., the world’s fifth largest crop protection company. In that role, he coordinates and directs the company’s federal, state and local North America government and industry affairs program.
Prior to joining FMC in February 2014, Seyfert worked from 1997-2013 on the staff of former Sen. Pat Roberts, R-Kan., capped by serving two years as staff director of the Senate Agriculture, Nutrition and Forestry Committee from 2011-13. During that time, he managed a professional staff team of 12 and oversaw the development and Senate approval of the farm bill that became much of the foundation for final legislation enacted on February 7, 2014.
He also was Roberts’ legislative director from 2005-11, during which time he interacted with five significant Senate committees on which the senator served. Seyfert also represented the US Senate on official government missions to Australia, Canada, China, Cuba, Singapore, Taiwan and Vietnam.
Seyfert received his undergraduate degree summa cum laude in agricultural economics and was a member of the agriculture honors program at Kansas State University.