CAST is governed by its organizational members through elected boards, scientific work groups, and strategic advisory bodies.

CAST is guided by a collaborative and transparent governance model:

  • Board of Directors
    Oversees CAST’s strategic direction, operations, and staff leadership.

  • Workgroups
    Comprised of appointed representatives from CAST member organizations. This group provides scientific leadership and ensures diverse expertise across CAST’s initiatives.

This structure reflect CAST’s commitment to credibility, balance, and scientific integrity

Board of Directors

The Board of Directors is CAST’s policy-making and governing body. The Board establishes membership dues, approves the annual budget, employs the CEO, votes on new members, and decides which projects to undertake or terminate.

Board Composition

The Board includes:

  • President (Chair)
  • President-Elect
  • Immediate Past President
  • Treasurer
  • One representative from each Work Group (Animal Science, Food Science, Plant Science)
  • One representative elected from all Society members
  • One representative elected from all Nonprofit and Education members
  • One representative elected from all Corporate members
  • Executive Vice President/CEO (nonvoting)

Board members serve staggered three-year terms. The President-Elect is elected annually and automatically succeeds to President, then Immediate Past President.

Brandon Neuschafer

President
(2024-2026)

Arnold & Porter

Alex Thomasson

Past President
(2023-2025)

 Mississippi State University

P.V. Vara Prasad

President-Elect
(2025-2027)

Kansas State University

Dirk Drost

Treasurer
(2019-2021, 2023-2025)

D3 Consulting

George Patocka

Society Liaison
(2020-2022, 2023-2025)

University of Alberta

Melissa Johnson

Company Liaison
(2021-2023, 2024-2026)

Corteva Agriscience

Juan Tricarico

Nonprofit/Education Liaison (2021-2023, 2024-2025)

Dairy Management Inc.

Julia Herman

AWG Liaision
(2021-2023, 2024-2025)

National Cattlemen’s Beef Association

John Swarthout

FWG Liaison
(2024-2026)

Bayer Crop Science

Marty Matlock

PWG Liaison
(2025-2027)

University of Arkansas

Our Workgroups

Workgroups at CAST bring together professionals, academics, and researchers who collaborate to analyze, interpret, and communicate critical scientific information on topics relevant to their fields.

Work Group Participation

  • Builder Partners and Influence Partners select one representative to participate in Work Group activities.
  • Individual Members and Collaborator Partners may submit proposals to Work Groups and are invited to attend select meetings as guests.
Mostafa Ghanen

American Association of Avian Pathologists
(2023-2025)

Animal Agriculture and Environmental Issues

Julie Adamchick

American Association of Bovine Practitioners
(2025-2027)

Animal Agriculture and Environmental Issues

Mark McDaniel

American Bar Association, Section of Environment, Energy and Resources
(2025-2027)

Food Science and Safety

Brandon Neuschafer​

American Bar Association, Section of Environment, Energy and Resources

Board of Directors President

Tom Redick

American Bar Association, Section of Environment, Energy and Resources

Past President

Luciano Caixeta

American Dairy Science Association
(2025-2027)

Animal Agriculture and Environmental Issues

Roger Cryan/Open

American Farm Bureau Federation
(2022-2024)

Animal Agriculture and Environmental Issues

Christi Calhoun

American Meat Science Association
(2024-2026)

Food Science and Safety

Eduardo Santos

American Meteorological Society
(2021-2023, 2024-2026)

Plant Agriculture and Environmental Issues

Marty Matlock

American Society of Agricultural and Biological Engineers
(2023-2025)

Plant Agriculture and Environmental Issues

Ignacio Ciampitti

American Society of Agronomy
(2025-2027)

James Sartin

American Society of Animal Science
2024-2027)

Animal Agriculture and Environmental Issues

James Kober

American Veterinary Medical Association
(2024-2026)

Animal Agriculture and Environmental Issues

Gray Turnage

Aquatic Plant Management Society
(2024-2026)

Animal Agriculture and Environmental Issues

Austin Gellings

Association of Equipment Manufacturers
(2023-2025)

Plant Agriculture and Environmental Issues

Trevor Calewart

Association of Equipment Manufacturers

Animal Agriculture and Environmental Issues

Andy Goetz

BASF Plant Science
(2023-2025)

Plant Agriculture and Environmental Issues

John Swarthout

Bayer CropScience
(2022-2024, 2025-2027)

Food Science and Safety

Martin Wiedmann

Cornell University
(2022-2024, 2025-2027)

Food Science and Safety

Melissa Johnson

Corteva Agriscience
(2021-2023, 2024-2026)

Plant Agriculture and Environmental Issues

Candice Hirsch

Crop Science Society of America
(2025-2027)

Manojit Basu

CropLife America
(2023-2025)

Plant Agriculture and Environmental Issues

Allison Unger

Innovation Center for U.S. Dairy
(2022-2024, 2025-2027)

Food Science and Safety

Stephanie Maisielle Schuette

Innovation Center for U.S. Dairy
(2022-2024, 2025-2027)

Animal Agriculture and Environmental Issues

Curt Youngs

Iowa State University

Animal Agriculture and Environmental Issues

Dan Kunkel

Minor Use Foundation

Plant Agriculture and Environmental Issues

Wes Schilling

Mississippi State University DAFVM
(2025-2027)

Food Science and Safety

Amit Dhingra

Moolec Science
(2025-2027)

Adam Herges

Mosaic
(2023-2025)

Plant Agriculture and Environmental Issues

Julia Herman

National Cattlemen’s Beef Association
(2021-2023, 2024-2025)

Animal Agriculture and Environmental Issues

Sarah McKay

National Corn Growers Association/Iowa Corn Promotion Board
(2024-2026)

Plant Agriculture and Environmental Issues

Clay Detelfson​

National Milk Producers Federation

Animal Agriculture and Environmental Issues

Jamie Jonker

National Milk Producers Federation

Animal Agriculture and Environmental Issues

Stephanie Wetter

National Pork Board
(2024-2026)

Animal Agriculture and Environmental Issues

Lindy Chiaia

National Turkey Federation
(2022-2024,2025-2027)

Food Science and Safety

Todd Baughman

North Central Weed Science Society (2024-2026)

Plant Agriculture and Environmental Issues

Randy Prostak

Northeastern Weed Science Society
(2025-2027)

Plant Agriculture and Environmental Issues

Mike Nassry

Nutrien (Agrium)
(2024-2026)

Plant Agriculture and Environmental Issues

Ranjith Ramanathan

Oklahoma State University
(2025-2027)

Animal Agriculture and Environmental Issues

Beth Guguno

Penn State University
(2023-2025)

Plant Agriculture and Environmental Issues

Blair Seigfried

Penn State University
(2023-2025)

Plant Agriculture and Environmental Issues

Gretta Tritch-Roman

Penn State University
(2023-2025)

Plant Agriculture and Environmental Issues

Clayton Nevins

Pivot Bio
(2024-2026)

Plant Agriculture and Environmental Issues

Chao Cai

Purdue University Library
(2023-2025)

Plant Agriculture and Environmental Issues

Michelle Worosz

Rural Sociological Society
(2023-2025)

Plant Agriculture and Environmental Issues

Dwight Tomes

Society for In Vitro Biology

Food Science and Safety

Sieglinde Snapp

Soil Science Society of America
(2025-2027)

Tom Peters

Southern Weed Science Society
(2025-2027)

Plant Agriculture and Environmental Issues

Richard Brain

Syngenta Crop Protection
(2025-2027)

Plant Agriculture and Environmental Issues

Jason de Koff

Tennessee State University
(2025-2027)

Plant Agriculture and Environmental Issues

David Baltenshperger

Texas A&M University CALS
(2023-2025)

Plant Agriculture and Environmental Issues

Leanna Nigon

The Fertilizer Institute
(2023-2025)

Plant Agriculture and Environmental Issues

Marceline Engin

Tuskegee University

Plant Agriculture and Environmental Issues

Nick Place

University of Georgia

Melinda Yerka

University of Nevada CABNR/NAES

 

Paul Bredwell

U.S. Poultry and Egg Association

Animal Agriculture and Environmental Issues

Andy Scott

United Soybean Board
(2025-2027)

Plant Agriculture and Environmental Issues

Jill Schroeder

Weed Science Society of America

Plant Agriculture and Environmental Issues

Greg Dahl

Western Society of Weed Science

Plant Agriculture and Environmental Issues