Shawn Archibeque is a Professor in the Animal Science Department at Colorado State University, where he has been on the faculty since 2006 with a research emphasis on addressing environmental issues associated with livestock production. His approach has largely used ruminant nutrition techniques to address these challenges. He received a B.S. in Environmental Health and Animal Sciences from Colorado State University, a M.S. in Nutrition from North Carolina State University, and a Ph.D. in Nutrition from Texas A&M University.
Mark Berhow has worked as research chemist at ARS in Peoria since 1994 and with ARS since 1983. Mark received a B.Sc. in life sciences from the University of Portland, Oregon, in 1977. He received a Ph.D. in biochemistry from Washington State University, Pullman, Washington in 1984.
His research interests include the examination of the processes involved in the biosynthesis and accumulation of biologically active plant secondary metabolites or “phytochemicals.” In Peoria, he has continued his work on analytical methods for the identification and quantification of secondary metabolites in plants, which can be used as biologically active chemicals for pest control, food additives, or pharmacological uses. The project team he heads specializes in the identification, isolation, and analysis of phytochemicals from plants and plant products, such as the isoflavones and saponins from soy and the glucosinolates from the crucifer species and assessing their functional activity in biological systems.
Massimo Bionaz is an Associate Professor in the Department of Animal and Rangeland Sciences at Oregon State University with four main research areas: 1) nutrigenomics in dairy cows; 2) hemp byproducts as fed ingredients; 3) milk and human health; and 4) dairy cow’s welfare. He teaches ANS207 Sophomore Seminar, ANS439/539 Dairy Production Systems, and ANS538 Lactation Biology.
Hunter Buffington was the Executive Director of the Hemp Feed Coalition from its conception in 2019 until joining Santa Fe Farms, now element6 Dynamics, in the Fall of 2021. Her professional background includes working as a policy and sustainable development consultant in the private and public sectors including, assisting local and national agencies to implement strategies that support emerging industries, environmental stewardship and which cultivate social health. Since the beginning of the legal hemp industry, she has worked to represent farmers during rule-making and was appointed to the Hemp Advisory Committee by the Colorado Department of Agriculture in 2020, and was elected Chairperson last year. The burgeoning hemp industry created an opportunity for her to work with hemp farmers, processors and regulators across the country to create a thriving hemp industry that benefits people and the planet, not just pockets.
Emily Febles graduated with undergraduate degrees in English and Anthropology and a minor in Agriculture from the University of Florida. She obtained her law degree from the University of Iowa. Emily worked in Agricultural Extension and Animal Husbandry in the Peace Corps in Guatemala. Before joining the USDA, Emily worked with two states, Washington and North Carolina, in the creation and management of their hemp regulatory pilot programs under the 2014 Farm Bill. She has also worked as a Rules Coordinator for the Oregon Liquor & Cannabis Commission (OLCC.) Emily has been working with the USDA Domestic Hemp Production Program since July of 2020. While working with the Hemp Program in North Carolina, Emily helped to facilitate a NC State University research study on hempseed meal in poultry feed for boiler chickens. Information about this study can be found on the NCSU hemp webpage.
Terry Grajczyk manages standards development and research programs for the Canadian Hemp Trade Alliance (CHTA). This includes the CHTA’s feed standards subcommittee which manages hemp feed research and includes members from HFC, researchers, hemp food companies and government.
As a professional agrologist she has a background in quality assurance, auditable standards and sustainability across several agricultural commodities. She has worked on implementing ISO quality management and HACCP food safety systems, and is a member of ASTM Standards International’s D37 Executive Committee on cannabis and hemp.
Throughout her career she has worked with agricultural producers and processors in technology transfer, communication and extension roles. Terry has a Bachelor of Science in Agriculture from the University of Saskatchewan, and has a PAg designation from the Saskatchewan Institute of Agrologists. Working from a home-based office, she also owns and operates a mid-sized livestock operation in southern Saskatchewan, Canada.
Kimberly Guay attended Angelo State University earning a B.S. and M.S. in Animal Science. She then moved to Lubbock, TX to attend Texas Tech University, where she earned a Ph.D. in Animal Science. After graduation, she stayed on as the Director of the Texas Tech Equestrian Center and helped develop the academic, student club, and therapeutic riding activities there. In 2011 she joined the Laboratory of Animal Behavior, Physiology and Welfare research laboratory as a Faculty Research Scientist. Lab projects involved evaluating the stressors on animals related to housing, handling, and transport. During this time, she also served as a Post Approval Compliance Officer for Texas Tech’s Program of Animal Care. In 2014 Dr. Guay accepted a position at Tarleton State University in Stephenville, TX (known as the Cowboy Capital of the World). She teaches in the Department of Animal Sciences and takes pride in mentoring and developing student researchers. Many of her former students are now active in the animal and equine industries; more than 7 have continued on to work on their Ph.D. Since joining Tarleton. She has recently served on the committee to develop the newly approved Ph.D. Program in the College of Agriculture and Natrual Resources at Tarleton, which is scheduled to launch in 2024. Dr. Guay has been awarded grants from both private and federal sources, including a USDA WAMS grant to increase participation of women in animal science research. Her mission is to strengthen agriculture and the equine industry by helping her students, animal owners and producers to be more confident and knowledgeable about behavior, and management methods that can promote healthy, happy animals.
Dr. Nar K. Gurung is a Research-Extension Professor of Animal Sciences at Tuskegee University with integrated appointment and research, teaching, and extension responsibilities. His research focuses on utilizing locally available crops, and industry byproducts for animal feed, agroforestry/silvopasture, year-round grazing, etc. The use of locally available byproducts as animal feeds is significant to limited resource producers and general livestock producers as feed prices, especially corn prices, have soared in the recent past.
Dr. Raj Kasula, DVM, MS, PAS (ARPAS) is the Senior Vice President and Chief Nutrition Officer at The Wenger Group in Rheems, PA, leading animal nutrition, innovation and research, quality and food safety functions; past associated with feed additive and animal nutrition leaders such as Ridley, Inc. (a unit of Alltech), Kemin, Cargill, Mars Pet Food, Prince Agri/Phibro Animal Health, and entrepreneurial experience with own global animal nutrition business development consultancy.
He is a Veterinarian with postgraduate degree in Immunology and Nutrition from Marathwada Agricultural University, India; Certified Professional Animal Scientist for Poultry (PAS) by ARPAS. He has 32 years in Feed Additives and Animal Nutrition segment, multispecies experience predominantly in poultry; multi-geographic, in over 33 countries across the globe.
He currently serves as a Board of Director & Steering Committee Member, Hemp Feed Coalition; Member, Feed Standards Sub Committee, Canadian Hemp Trade Alliance, Executive Committee Member – PennAg Feed Grain and Allied Industries Board; Member Research Advisory Committee – Pennsylvania Poultry Industry Research Check Off Program, Pennsylvania State University; Board Member, Industry Advisory Board, Animal Health & Nutrition Consortium, North Carolina State University; Past Foundation Member-Institution Partners, Poultry Science Association; Past Executive Member – World Poultry Association, Singapore Branch. Trustee and Ex-Joint Treasurer – Austin Hindu Temple and Community Center Executive Committee; Treasurer – South Asian Association of Lancaster, PA; Lead – Community Outreach and Volunteers, Executive Committee, CRY- Child Rights and You America.
Dr. Kleinhenz is an Ohio native. He attended The Ohio State University where he received his DVM in 2009; and completed a food animal internship in 2010. He joined a mixed animal veterinary practice in West Central Ohio with a focus in large animal medicine and surgery. He joined Iowa State University Veterinary Field Services in 2013 as an adjunct instructor and dairy production resident. Dr. Kleinhenz completed his PhD in Pharmacology and residency training in clinical pharmacology at Kansas State University. He joined the faculty at Kansas State in 2019 as an assistant professor in food animal production medicine and member of the Beef Cattle Institute. His research focuses on the assessment and therapeutic management of pain in food production animals; uses of industrial hemp and cannabinoid pharmacology in cattle.
David J. Smith has served as a Research Physiologist at the ARS’s Edward T. Schafer Agricultural Research Center in Fargo, ND since 1995 and as Research Leader of the Animal Metabolism-Agricultural Chemicals Research Unit since 2009. Dr. Smith has investigated the fate of a diverse set of chemicals in food-animals for over 30 years. He has authored or co-authored over 200 scientific treatises including book chapters, journal articles, patents, and regulatory dossiers to the US FDA, EPA, and FSIS. Dr. Smith has mentored graduate students and post-doctoral associates and has received research funding from livestock production associations, private industries, and federal agencies including the US FDA and the FSIS. Dr. Smith has served as Associate Editor and as Advisory Board member for established journals and recently served as an expert panel member for the National Water Research Institute.
Dr. Jeffrey Steiner is the Director of the Global Hemp Innovation Center. Dr. Steiner has broad leadership experience in the administration and conduct of research in academic and government agency settings and had been involved in hemp research policy development since the 2014 Farm Bill. With a long history of working with universities, federal agencies, and industry, Dr. Steiner helps coordinate efforts between all stakeholders to maximize effectiveness and success.
Kendall Swanson is a Professor of Beef Production Systems in the Department of Animal Sciences at North Dakota State University. Kendall grew up on a crop and livestock farm in southeastern North Dakota and received his BS and MS in Animal and Range Science at North Dakota State University. He received his PhD in Ruminant Nutrition at the University of Kentucky. He then worked as a Research Associate at the USDA Meat Animal Research Center from 2001 – 2003. Before returning to North Dakota, Kendall was on faculty at the University of Guelph in Ontario Canada. Kendall’s research program focuses on improving the efficiency of feed utilization of finishing cattle and pregnant cows. He also is the departmental graduate coordinator, supervises the departmental nutrition laboratory, and teaches courses in nutrition and physiology.
Austin Therrell currently serves as the Executive Director for the Association of American Feed Control Officials (AAFCO). Prior to his current role with AAFCO, he served on the Board of Directors and as the Co-Chair of the AAFCO Feed & Feed Ingredient Manufacturing Committee, as a member of the AAFCO Pet Food Committee, and as a member of the Current Issues and Outreach Committee.
Austin previously served as the Animal Feed Program Manager for the South Carolina Department of Agriculture where he oversaw animal food inspection priorities across the state, product registrations, labeling compliance, and a statewide sampling program. He graduated from Clemson University in 2013 with a Bachelor of Science degree in Animal and Veterinary Science and a minor in business administration.
Morgan Tweet is the Executive Director of the Hemp Feed Coalition. Along with her executive role at HFC, Mrs. Tweet is the co-founder and Chief Operating Officer of IND HEMP, an oilseeds and fiber company in Fort Benton, Montana. With a background in Chemical Engineering and a lifetime career in agriculture and food manufacturing, Mrs. Tweet brings the needs of the industry and broader understanding of the ingredients. The Hemp Feed Coalition submitted the first AAFCO Feed Application with “Hemp Seed Meal for Laying Hens” and has been intimately engaged with regulators to gain federal approval.