-
Dr. Lisa House, UF IFAS Food and Resource Economics
Department Chair and Professor of Food and Resource Economics
-
Dr. J. Scott Angle, UF/IFAS
2025 Policy Conference Introductions
Scott Angle, Ph.D.
Senior Vice President for Agriculture and Natural Resources
University of Florida Institute of Food and Agricultural SciencesBio:
Dr. J. Scott Angle is a national leader in developing the science that supports food production and management of natural resources. As chief executive of the agriculture and environmental sciences arm of a leading land-grant university, he champions public science as a path to improve lives and reduce human suffering. In this role, Dr. Angle leads nearly 2,300 employees who work in all 67 Florida counties. UF/IFAS encompasses the College of Agricultural and Life Sciences, the Florida Cooperative Extension Service, and the Florida Agricultural Experiment Station. He also served as the University of Florida’s provost for 14 months.
Dr. Angle took the helm at UF/IFAS in July 2020, fresh from his position at the United States Department of Agriculture’s National Institute of Food and Agriculture (NIFA). As director of NIFA appointed by President Trump, he led federal support for the science underpinning the success of American agriculture, frequently partnering with land-grant universities.
Angle received his B.S. in agronomy and M.S. in soil science at the University of Maryland. He earned his Ph.D. from the University of Missouri with an emphasis on soil microbiology and is a Fellow of the American Association for the Advancement of Science.
-
Tripp Hunter, Florida Farm Bureau Federation
Director of State Legislative Affairs at Florida Farm Bureau Federation
Bio:
Tripp Hunter was born and raised in Tallahassee, Florida, and has been immersed in agriculture from a young age. Growing up, he gained experience in various forms of agriculture, starting with the timber industry and later transitioning to the nursery production industry. He attended Auburn University, where he earned a bachelor’s degree in Agricultural Business and Economics. After college, Hunter worked in production agriculture where he was an Operations Manager for Simpson Nurseries. He joined FFBF in 2024 and has hit the ground running representing industry issues within the legislative process. -
Dr. John Newton, Terrain Agriculture
Executive Head of Terrain Agriculture
BIO
Dr. John Newton is the Executive Head of Terrain, a company that provides market insight for customers of AgCountry Farm Credit Services, American AgCredit, Farm Credit Services of America and Frontier Farm Credit. Guiding the team’s endeavors, he has more than two decades of experience using data to address agriculture’s challenges.
John has a deep understanding of how governmental policy and risk management programs impact the financial outcomes of America’s farming and ranching families. He previously held positions as the Republican Chief Economist for the U.S. Senate Committee on Agriculture, Nutrition & Forestry, Chief Economist at the American Farm Bureau Federation and at the National Milk Producers Federation, as an economist for the U.S. Department of Agriculture and as an award-winning faculty member at the University of Illinois. In 2021, John received the Distinguished Alumni award from the Ohio State University, where he earned his Ph.D. in agricultural economics and master’s degrees in applied economics and macroeconomics.
-
J. Alex Kelly, Florida Secretary of Commerce
J. Alex Kelly, Florida Secretary of Commerce
J. Alex Kelly currently leads Florida Commerce as Florida’s Secretary of Commerce. Prior to his appointment, Kelly held the Deputy Chief of Staff role in the Governor’s Office since April 2021.Kelly has an extensive background and expertise in education and economic development having served as the Vice President for the Foundation of Excellence in Education and the Chief of Staff to then-Education Commissioner Richard Corcoran in 2019.
In total, Kelly held roles in the Florida House of Representatives on the three occasions and in the Florida Senate, including Staff Director for the Redistricting Committee in the Florida House of Representatives and Chief Analyst for the House’s Select Policy Council on Strategic & Economic Planning. He served as the Chief of Staff for the Florida Department of Juvenile Justice, and Legislative Affairs Director at the Florida Department of Corrections and the Florida Department of Elder Affairs.
Kelly earned both a bachelor’s degree in political science from York University of Pennsylvania and a master’s degree in political science from the University of Florida.
-
John Walt Boatright, American Farm Bureau Federation
Director of Government Affairs, American Farm Bureau Federation
Bio:
John Walt joined AFBF in November 2022 where his portfolio includes farm labor, pesticides, food safety, and specialty crops. This includes legislative initiatives in Congress, as well as engagement with the U.S. Department of Labor, the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency, and the U.S. Food & Drug Administration. In addition to working closely with state Farm Bureaus and policymakers to accomplish AFBF policy, John Walt also represents the organization in its collaborative industry work, including the Agriculture Workforce Coalition, the Pesticide Policy Coalition, the Minor Crop Farmer Alliance, the Agricultural Safety & Health Council of America, and the Commodity Liaison Committee of the IR-4 Project.
Prior to joining American Farm Bureau, John Walt led national affairs for Florida Farm Bureau for over 5 years. A native Floridian, John Walt graduated with a bachelor’s degree in Food and Resource Economics from the University of Florida.
-
Representative J.J. Grow, Florida State House of Rep.
Florida State House of Representatives
Florida State House of Representatives District 23 since 2024
BIO:
JJ Grow is a dedicated businessman, entrepreneur, and Conservative with a strong work ethic and a deep passion for his community. With over 33 years of leadership experience in both privately held and publicly traded companies, JJ was raised in Citrus County, where he learned the value of hard work and community service early in life. A proud graduate of Citrus High School, where he excelled as Class President, Student Government President, and Future Farmers of America (FFA) President, JJ has always been a leader. His commitment to Florida agriculture began in his youth and continued through his tenure as State FFA Vice President, during which he hosted leadership training sessions across the state and interned with former Florida Commissioner of Agriculture Doyle Connor. In 2003, JJ founded his first company and he has since launched multiple successful businesses, creating opportunities and jobs that have had a lasting impact on Florida’s economy.
JJ’s passion for agriculture led him to the University of Florida, where he majored in Food and Resource Economics and was honored with membership in the agricultural honors fraternity. In 2018, he received the Distinguished Alumnus honor for his continued contributions to the university and the field of agriculture. JJ remains committed to serving the community, serving as a member of the University of Florida Foundation Board and the Food and Resource Economics Leadership Council.
-
Dr. Derek Farnsworth, UF IFAS Food and Resource Economics
Associate Professor of Food and Resource Economics
-
Brittany Lee, Florida Blue Farms, Inc & USDA ATAC
Vice President Florida Blue Farms and Member of USDA Agriculture Trade and Advisory Committee (ATAC) for Fruits and Vegetables
Bio:
Brittany Lee serves as Vice President and Farm Manager of Florida Blue Farms, Inc. a 112 acre Southern Highbush blueberry plantation located in Northeast Florida. Brittany earned her Bachelor’s Degree from the University of Florida.
Brittany is heavily dedicated to and involved with various community service and industry organizations both locally statewide, and nationally. She is the immediate past Executive Director of the Florida Blueberry Growers Association and was appointed by then US Secretary of Agriculture Vilsack (2017) as the Florida delegate for the US Highbush Blueberry Council and by former US Secretary of Agriculture Perdue (2019) to the Ag Technical Advisory Committee for Trade for Fruit & Vegetables. She also serves as a board member for the North American Blueberry Council. She is a Director of the Board for the Alachua Farm Bureau, Young Beginning and Small Advisory Committee for Farm Credit of Florida, Wedgworth Advisory Board, the Florida Fruit & Vegetable Growers Association, and the University of Florida Leadership and Education Foundation.
In 2019 Lee received the UF/IFAS Extension Advocate Award and the Florida Farm Bureau’s Ag Communicator award. In 2021 she was recognized as one of the University of Florida’s 40 Gators Under 40 (2021) and received the Farm Credit of Florida’s Leadership Award in 2022.
-
Dr. LaKisha Odom, Foundation for Food and Agricultural Research
Dr. LaKisha Odom joined FFAR in September 2016 as a scientific program director to pursue her commitment to promoting the use of innovative science and interdisciplinary thinking to tackle today’s complex challenges in food and agriculture. In addition to her work at FFAR, Dr. Odom is on the board of directors for the Soil Health Institute, a non-profit organization that advances the science of soil health and the adoption of soil health management systems.
In 2013, Odom became an American Association for the Advancement of Science and Technology Policy Fellow at the U.S. Department of Agriculture Biotechnology Regulatory Service, where she managed a diverse portfolio which included working with the OECD Working Group for the Harmonization of Regulatory Oversight in Biotechnology. Dr. Odom received her bachelor’s degree in environmental science from Tuskegee University, her master’s degree in environmental resource policy from The George Washington University and her doctorate in integrative biosciences from Tuskegee University.
-
Dr. Weizhe Weng, UF IFAS Food and Resource Economics
Assistant Professor of Food and Resource Economics
Bio:
Dr. Weng is an assistant professor in the Food & Resource Economics Department. She holds a research and extension appointment and specializes in environmental and natural resource economics, valuation of ecosystem services, and water policy.
Dr. Weng’s research program emphasizes the innovative use of economic and interdisciplinary frameworks to quantify the interactions between human and natural systems, evaluate potential policy outcomes, and provide a foundation to support science-based policymaking. Using various modern empirical, optimization, and integrated assessment modeling methods, her research explores policy questions related to water pollution, air pollution, land use, agricultural production, and outdoor recreation.
-
Martha Montoya, Ag Tools CEO
Chief Executive Officer, Ag Tools
Bio:
Martha Montoya has more than 30 years of worldwide food/agricultural development and supply chain experience. Traveling while setting up production lines and delivering projects on more than four continents, Martha has dealt with both small- and industrial-sized farmers or suppliers, government entities, and sophisticated buyers. Martha was appointed to the board of the California State Board of Food and Agriculture and the U.S. Department of Commerce District Export Council. She has served on the Worldwide Advisory Board of Women for Walmart, the board of the United States Hispanic Chambers of Commerce, and the board of the National Latino Food Industry.
Martha and her brothers founded Agtools Inc., an award-winning machine learning and artificial intelligence software solution providing First Mile MARKET data in real time across the globe of over 500 commodities for farmers, buyers, scientists, and others on the food supply chain to execute better research, planting, harvesting, forecasting, and hedging while reducing the world’s food waste and environmental footprint.
Martha earned her degrees in chemistry and biology at LaSalle University and Javeriana University with post graduate courses at the University of Chicago, the Tuck School of Business at Dartmouth, Stanford University Entrepreneurial and Scalability program, and the UC Davis Institute for Food, Ag & Health Entrepreneurship
-
Dr. Nathan Boyd, UF/IFAS Gulf Coast REC
Associate Center Director and Professor of Horticulture, UF/IFAS Gulf Coast REC
Bio:
Dr. Nathan Boyd's research and extension program focus on the development of integrated weed management plans for vegetable, strawberry, and ornamental crops. He emphasizes the incorporation of biological knowledge with chemical, physical, and cultural management tools.
Dr. Boyd collaborates with researchers from a wide range of disciplines to develop pest-management options that are effective and economically viable. He works closely with industry and grower groups to address current and future weed management issues.
-
Dr. Suzanne Thornsbury, UF IFAS Food and Resource Economics
Professor of Food and Resource Economics
Bio:
Dr. Suzanne Thornsbury joined the Food and Resource Economics Department at the University of Florida in August 2022 as a Professor in Agriculture Policy and Specialty Crops. Her program integrates research and extension with a focus on the linkage between marketing, management, and trade strategies of specialty crop industries seeking to remain (or become) competitive in a global economy. A focus of her research is co-development of knowledge (industry, academia, government) in support of U.S. seasonal and perishable industries given current and anticipated technology developments and shifting consumer preferences. Prior to joining UF, Dr. Thornsbury was a Senior Advisor for Agriculture Economics and Rural Communities in USDA’s Office of the Chief Scientist. Dr. Thornsbury holds a PhD in Agriculture and Applied Economics from Virginia Tech.
-
Dr. James (Jim) Boyer, UF/IFAS
Dr. James (Jim) Boyer, UF/IFAS Plant Science Research and Education
Bio:
James (Jim) Boyer is the Director of Research at the University of Florida’s Institute of Food and Agricultural Sciences (UF/IFAS) Plant Science Research and Education Unit (PSREU) in Citra, Florida. He holds a Master of Science in Agronomy and has been with PSREU for 24 years, serving as Director for the past 9 years. With extensive experience in agricultural research, operations management, and strategic leadership, Jim oversees one of UF/IFAS’s largest research units, supporting a wide range of crop science, horticulture, and sustainability projects. He is committed to fostering innovation, collaboration, and education in plant science to support Florida’s agriculture industry and beyond.
-
Robert Forman, Globe Tracker
Robert Forman, Director, Customer Success, Globe Tracker
Bio:
Robert Forman is an experienced professional currently serving as the Director of Customer Success and Product Management at Globe Tracker where he is focused on enhancing client interactions with the company's telematic solutions for remote reefer management. Globe Tracker is a Danish company and a market leader in solutions for supply chain visibility. Their main engineering nexus is based out of the US headquarters in Sarasota Florida servicing the North and South American markets.
Prior to joining Globe Tracker, Robert was the Managing Member at Cicero Software, LLC, where oversight included all aspects of SaaS software solutions and mobile applications for the supply chain and mortgage servicing sectors. Robert also held the position of Managing Member at IRIS, LLC and worked as a Software Architect at BIPT from January 2001 to April 2008. Robert holds a degree from Binghamton University.
-
Dr. Damian Adams, UF/IFAS
Dr. Damian Adams, UF/IFAS, Associate Dean for Research and Associate Director of the FAES
Education
- D. Food and Resource Economics, University of Florida 2007
- Phil. Land Economy, University of Cambridge 2004
- D., University of Florida 2001
- Master of Agribusiness, University of Florida 2001
Bio
Damian Adams is a natural resource economist tenured in the School of Forest, Fisheries & Geomatics Sciences with a joint appointment in the Food and Resource Economics Department at UF. He earned his Ph.D. (2007) in Food and Resource Economics and his J.D. (2001) from the University of Florida, and an M.Phil. (2004) in Land Economy from the University of Cambridge in England. He joined UF/IFAS Administration as Associate Dean for Research in 2021 after completing LEAD21, a year-long leadership program supporting the mission of land grant universities across the nation. As Associate Dean for Research, Dr. Adams leads on several UF/IFAS seed funding and training programs, and on major initiatives including artificial intelligence and emerging enterprises & entrepreneurship.