Mike Johanns, who completed a term as senator early this month, was elected to the board of directors of Deere and Co, the world’s largest farm equipment manufacturer. Johanns was U.S. agriculture secretary and governor of Nebraska before election to the Senate in 2008. Deere said Johanns’ “wide range of expertise in the areas of agriculture, banking, commerce, foreign trade, law and governance will be valuable assets.”
Phil Nelson, who was president of the Illinois Farm Bureau for a decade ending in 2013, was named as director of the Illinois Agriculture Department by Gov Bruce Rauner, says FarmWeekNow.com. Nelson, from Seneca, Ill, told the news site that he planned to put a “new face” on the department. “The department is not just about agriculture but also food,” he said. Nelson said the governor’s agricultural priorities included upgrading infrastructure, assessing agriculture and business regulations, expanding export markets and improving Illinois’ business climate.
Political analyst Stuart Rothenberg says “I have moved to the back seat” at his eponymous newsletter, renamed the Rothenberg and Gonzales Political Report. An item explaining the change appears at Roll Call, which carries a weekly Rothenberg column. “After more than 13 years of working under and alongside Stu, I am excited to continue that legacy as editor and publisher,” writes Nathan Gonzales.