AVENTURA, Fla .– RISE (Responsible Industry for a Sound Environment) and CropLife America held a joint annual meeting in Aventura, Fla., September 12-15, 2021.
Nearly 500 attendees representing companies that provide phytosanitary and phytosanitary solutions for the specialty pesticide and agricultural markets attended the meeting virtually and in person.
Participants gathered for three days to collaborate, strengthen relationships and share information.
RISE President Megan Provost, who joined the association in December 2019 before the pandemic, led its first annual meeting in person. She encouraged meaningful collaboration and engagement.
“Advocacy is always more effective when we build and nurture strong partnerships,” said Provost. “By collaborating and engaging in a meaningful way with our internal and external audiences, by organizing a forum for partnership and information sharing, and by amplifying our collective impact by acting as a force multiplier, RISE can build and develop our members and coalitions to promote and protect access to pesticides and fertilizers.
Sessions provide insight
A session on emerging technology trends, presented by two university professors, focused on innovative solutions that will more precisely target pests and improve plant health.
Other panels featured a discussion of the state’s current legislative activities with respect to pesticide laws with panelists providing data-based information and specific examples on the effectiveness of popular advocacy in the area. policy development on pesticides.
A panel of former federal agency appointees shared their views and experiences on the important work and accomplishments of industry regulators.
Additionally, keynote speaker David Wasserman, editor of the Cook Political Report and recognized as one of the nation’s top election forecasters, provided analysis of the 2022 midterm elections and other information.
RISE 2021’s new board and committees came together to develop tactics to address current and emerging issues in 2022 and recognized Outstanding Volunteers of the Year with three notable awards.
New Board Members
The RISE Board of Directors met on September 13 and elected a new member, Bill Culpepper, SePRO Corporation.
The Board also elected its 2022 Executive Committee:
• Stéphanie Jensen, president, BASF
• John Smith, Vice President, AMGUARD Environmental Technologies
• Karen Larson, Treasurer, Clarke
Neil Cleveland, PBI / Gordon Corporation, is completing his term on the Board of Directors. Those who are continuing their mandate on the 2022 Board of Directors are:
• Daryl Allen, Corteva Agriscience
• Kathy Bishop, Lebanese Coastal Society
• John Johnson, Prokoz, Inc.
• Scott Lazarczyk, SBM Life Sciences
• Todd Mason, Sipcam Agro USA
• José Milan, Bayer
• Blaine Pinkerton, Nufarm Americas, Inc.
• Scott Reasons, Syngenta
• Brian Rowan, SiteOne Landscape Supply
• Nadia Sinno, FMC Corporation
The presidents of the RISE committees sitting on the association’s Strategic Supervisory Board are:
• Aquatic Committee, Sam Barrick, SePRO Corporation
• Communication committee, Heidi Deja, BASF
• Fertilizer Committee, Eric Miltner, Allied Nutrients
• Legal Committee, John Rebman, Bayer
• Legislative Affairs Committee, Rick Deadwyler, Corteva Agriscience
• Programs and Membership Committee, Jeff Michel, Bayer
• Regulatory Affairs Committee, Jennifer Hughes, Corteva Agriscience
Steven Farrington, Gowan Company, has been elected co-chair of the RISE Strategic Oversight Board with Provost. Carrie Tackema, Nufarm Americas, Inc., completed her two-year term as co-chair of the Strategic Oversight Board during this week’s meeting.
Award winners
Sean F. Casey, former Chairman of the Board of Directors of RISE and most recently retired Vice President of Turf and Ornamental Sales at Nufarm Americas, Inc., is the recipient of the 2021 E. Allen James Leadership Award .
RISE’s most distinguished volunteer honor named for its first president recognizes exemplary leadership and outstanding contributions to the pesticide and specialty fertilizer industry and to RISE.
Casey has been a voice in the specialty pesticides industry for over 30 years. As Chairman of the Board of Directors of RISE 2020, he contributed to the development of the association’s new five-year strategic plan and was an active member of many other industry groups, including Project Evergreen.
Casey served two terms on the board and, during his first term, helped lead the association’s movement into data-driven messaging and public relations to promote the specialty industry.
The 2021 RISE Grassroots Award of Excellence was presented to members of the New Jersey Green Industry Council for their extraordinary commitment to popular advocacy in the state capital.
Established in 2012, the RISE Grassroots Excellence Award is presented annually to an individual, group or allied association who demonstrates exceptional effort and contribution to advance the mission, vision and goals of public policy advocacy. from the pesticide and specialty fertilizer industry through the grassroots.
The Board of Directors presented the Communications Committee with the 2021 Strategic Engine Award recognizing the committee’s role in crafting powerful messages to promote the industry and to ensure these messages are accessible to everyone engaged in the industry.
The Strategic Driver Award recognizes the work of volunteer leaders and the impact they have in helping RISE achieve its mission and vision.
Information and photos of participants in RISE and CropLife America can be found on social media by searching for the hashtag # GrowingTogether21.
