The U.S. Department of Agriculture today announced the appointment of Michael Durando as Deputy Administrator and James Ivy as Associate Deputy Administrator of the U.S. Department of Agriculture’s (USDA) Agricultural Marketing Service (AMS) Fair Trade Practices Program (FTPP), part of the Marketing and Regulatory Programs mission area.
The Fair Trade Practices Program is comprised of 4 divisions: The Packers and Stockyards Division, the Perishable Agricultural Commodities Act Division, the Warehouse and Commodity Management Division and the Food Disclosure and Labeling Division – which overseas Country of Origin Labeling and the National Bioengineered Food Disclosure Standard.
“As Associate Deputy Administrator of the Fair Trade Practices Program Michael Durando has been steadfast, ensuring FTPP remains an invaluable resource to agricultural producers,” said AMS Administrator Bruce Summers. “I am grateful to have Michael continue to serve our customers as Deputy Administrator and fulfill the FTPP mission to promote fair business practices that benefit AMS stakeholders across the board.”
During his tenure with USDA, Michael also served 14 years as the Director of the AMS Marketing Order and Agreement Division, overseeing the administration of 46 marketing order and related regulatory programs that enabled the successful marketing efforts of the nation’s fruit, vegetable and specialty crop industries. Prior to USDA, Michael served as president of both the New York Apple and the New York Cherry Growers Associations, president of the California Grape & Tree Fruit League (now the California Fresh Fruit Association) and as a Presidential appointee to the U.S. Commission on Agricultural Workers.
James Ivy will join FTPP as Associate Deputy Administrator. James joins AMS from the Animal and Plant Health Inspection Service where he most recently served as the Associate Deputy Administrator for Legislative and Public Affairs with USDA’s Animal and Plant Health Inspection Service (APHIS). James also led the APHIS Human Resources Division to support the merger of the Grain Inspection Packers and Stockyards Administration and several programs from the Farm Service Agency into the Agricultural Marketing Service.
To learn more about AMS’ Fair Trade Practices Program go to: https://www.ams.usda.gov/about-ams/programs-offices/fair-trade-practices.
