Eco Farms taps Oppy's Jim Leach as president; ag leadership shuffle widens

Eco Farms named Jim Leach president effective Nov. 16, setting up a leadership transition that keeps founder Steve Taft in the business until his retirement on June 1, 2027 — more than 50 years after he co-founded the company in 1972 and helped pioneer the U.S. organic avocado market.

Leach currently directs foodservice and Southwest sales at Oppy, one of the largest fresh produce marketers in North America. His move to the helm of a founding player in organic avocados signals how closely specialty-crop suppliers now tie their sales channels to foodservice demand. The company did not say who fills Leach's Oppy role.

The transition is long by industry standards. Taft will work alongside his successor for roughly 19 months. That timeline gives growers and foodservice buyers continuity, but it also leaves open who ultimately controls the founder-led company after mid-2027.

What changes at Meristem and Elanco?

Meristem Crop Performance named Matthew Deyle vice president of business development, covering Nebraska, Kansas and Colorado. Deyle arrives from Nutrien Ag Solutions, where he worked as a multi-location manager and agronomist in south-central Nebraska. He previously held posts at Cargill and Aurora Cooperative and brings more than 25 years of agribusiness experience. For a biologicals and adjuvant maker pushing into the Plains, the hire puts a retail-trained agronomist — not a pure salesperson — in charge of growth in three row-crop states where input margins are tight.

Elanco Animal Health appointed Jamie Preston executive vice president and chief people officer, effective Nov. 3. Preston spent 23 years in global human resources leadership at Eli Lilly, Elanco's former parent. She succeeds Dave Kinard, who retires at the end of 2026.

The Animal Health Institute made two moves of its own:

• Marie Bucko, chief operating officer since August 2026, becomes interim CEO. Her résumé includes animal health policy work at Merck and USDA — she was chief of staff for veterinary services — plus stints at the National Pork Producers Council and FDA.
• Rachel Gantz joins as vice president of strategic communications and public affairs from the Electric Power Research Institute. She previously led communications at the National Pork Producers Council and the Renewable Fuels Association.

Who else moved?

Mae Sheaffer joined Corteva Agriscience as strategic marketing communications leader in October, after advising on poultry marketing at Elanco and holding account roles at Inizio Evoke, MicroMass Communications and The Sandbox Agency.

The Council for Producers and Distributors of Agrotechnology elected Greg Lindner of Croda Agriculture chairman, succeeding Patrick Ewan of Helena Agri-Enterprises. The group's agenda: EPA registration efficiency, PRIA 6, pesticide mitigation, adjuvants and biopesticides — all items that shape how fast new crop protection tools reach farmers and at what cost.

Kevin Hartley joined National Veterinary Associates as director of advocacy and government relations in October after six years at the American Veterinary Medical Association and several legislative roles in the U.S. House.

Meagan Kaiser joined the American Food Power Council, the senior advisory body of the Center for American Food Power. She is chief operating officer and soil scientist at Perry Agricultural Laboratory in Missouri, co-founded PAL Farm Management with her husband, is a past chair of the United Soybean Board and once served as legislative assistant to Sen. Kit Bond, R-Mo.

The Mid America CropLife Association named Jenny Pagel-Guile executive director. She brings more than 20 years of nonprofit leadership and will run operations, member programs, education and communications across the association's 13-state region.

What do the retail, youth, tribal and pet-food appointments mean?

Ahold Delhaize, parent of major U.S. grocery banners, appointed Thierry Garnier its next president and CEO, succeeding Frans Muller. Garnier joins as executive vice president on Jan. 11 before taking the top job and a board seat. Muller retires March 3 and stays on through the transition. For suppliers, a CEO change at a top grocery buyer typically raises questions about sourcing continuity — none answered yet.

The National FFA Organization elected six students to its 2026-27 officer team: Josie Jennings of Ohio as president, Cameron Addington of Minnesota as secretary, Joshua Nelson of Idaho as western region vice president, Jazmin Palma of North Carolina as southern region vice president, Teagan Erbele of North Dakota as central region vice president and Aiden Manley of Kentucky as eastern region vice president.

USDA added four members to its Tribal Advisory Committee. Agriculture Secretary Brooke Rollins appointed Mark Fox of the Mandan, Hidatsa and Arikara Nation, Enjady Godfrey of Mescalero Apache Telecom and Evan Whitley of the Choctaw Nation to three-year terms. Rep. Angie Craig, D-Minn., ranking member of the House Agriculture Committee, appointed Bradford Hall, president of Blackfeet Community College, to finish a term ending December 2026.

The Pet Food Institute named its 2027-2028 board officers: Reed Howlett, CEO of Wellness Pet Company, as chair; Liz Mascolo of General Mills as vice chair; Yvonne Hsu of Hill's Pet Nutrition as treasurer; Nicki Baty of Freshpet as secretary; and Scott Salmon of Simmons Foods as immediate past chair.

Veronique Lagrange, founding executive director of the California Dairy Innovation Center, will retire at the end of 2026 after more than six years. She stays with the California Milk Advisory Board through the first quarter of 2027 to ease the handover. Before the center, she spent more than 20 years with the U.S. Dairy Export Council.

Former Farm Progress editor Todd Fitchette died Oct. 23 from complications following an unexpected illness, his sister Julie Henrie shared. He spent nearly 13 years with Farm Progress, edited Western Farm Press and covered agriculture across the western U.S., later freelancing on western specialty crops. He held a bachelor's degree from California State University, Chico.

With Taft's retirement dated, Garnier's start set for Jan. 11 and Bucko still tagged "interim," several of these seats will change hands again before 2027 closes.