Grimmway’s President Of Farming Operations Appointed To EPA Advisory Committee

Russell Hamlin, PhD, will advise on Farm, Ranch, and Rural Communities Issues

Bakersfield, CA, November 14, 2024 – The Environmental Protection Agency (EPA)
today announced the appointment of Russell Hamlin, PhD, Grimmway’s President of
Farming Operations, to its Farm, Ranch and Rural Communities Federal Advisory
Committee (FRRCC). Hamlin joins 17 other new members named by EPA Administrator
Michael Regan who will provide independent policy advice and recommendations on
crucial environmental issues affecting agriculture and rural communities.

Hamlin oversees the management of both conventional and organic vegetable crops for
Grimmway’s operations in more than 10 states, and brings diverse academic, farming,
and scientific experience to his EPA advisory role. “Good intentions and a desire to give
back are important but must be combined with an equal measure of experience and
depth of understanding to be effective in shaping meaningful policy,” Hamlin said.
“Working with my advisory board colleagues, I look forward to applying my scientific
background and common farm sense to understand and find practical paths forward to
address environmental problems facing the nation’s farmers.”

In addition to his role at Grimmway, Hamlin currently chairs the California Fresh Carrot
Advisory Board and the Organics Committee of the International Fresh Produce
Association. He is also a member of the Advisory Board for the Grimm Family Center
for Organic Production and Research at Cal Poly San Luis Obispo. He received his BSA
and MS in Horticulture from the University of Georgia and his PhD from the University of
Massachusetts Amherst in Plant and Soil Sciences.

In announcing the appointments, EPA Administrator Regan noted, “The diverse
perspectives of these new appointees, along with our dedicated returning members, will
be instrumental in helping us navigate environmental challenges and deliver science-based, practical solutions that strengthen our nation’s food and agriculture systems for
generations to come.”