The Board of Directors serves as CAST’s governing and policy-making body, establishing membership dues, approving the annual budget, employing the CEO, voting on new members, and determining which scientific projects and initiatives the organization undertakes.

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.

Members
Ann Steensland
Mosaic
Company Liaison

 – 

Board of Directors
Brandon Neuschafer
American Bar Association, Section of Environment, Energy, and Resources
Representative

 – 

Food Sciences Workgroup
Past President

 – 

Board of Directors
Chris Boomsma
CAST
Member

 – 

Strategic Advisory Council
2026
CEO

 – 

Board of Directors
David D. Baltensperger
Texas A&M University
Representative

 – 

Plant & Soil Sciences Workgroup
Nonprofit/Education Liaison

 – 

Board of Directors
Dirk Drost
CAST BOD Member
Representative

 – 

Plant & Soil Sciences Workgroup
Treasurer

 – 

Board of Directors
James Kober
American Veterinary Medical Association
Chair

 – 

Animal Sciences Workgroup
AWG Liaison

 – 

Board of Directors
John Swarthout
Bayer Crop Science
Chair

 – 

Food Sciences Workgroup
FWG Liaison

 – 

Board of Directors
Representative

 – 

Food Sciences Workgroup
Member

 – 

Board of Directors
Marty Matlock
American Society of Agricultural and Biological Engineers
Chair

 – 

Plant & Soil Sciences Workgroup
PWG Liaison

 – 

Board of Directors
Melissa Johnson
Corteva
Representative

 – 

Plant & Soil Sciences Workgroup
President-Elect

 – 

Board of Directors
Tom Redick
Global Environmental Ethics Council
Representative

 – 

Food Sciences Workgroup
Society Liaison

 – 

Board of Directors
Vara Prasad
Kansas State University
Representative

 – 

Plant & Soil Sciences Workgroup
President

 – 

Board of Directors