U.S. Senator Pat Roberts (R-Kan.), Chairman of the Senate Committee on Agriculture, Nutrition and Forestry, and key members of his staff, received awards for their leadership on issues important to wheat producers from the National Association of Wheat Growers (NAWG) and the Kansas Association of Wheat Growers. Roberts also addressed the NAWG Winter Conference.
“I am honored to be recognized for our efforts on behalf of wheat growers,” said Roberts. “The Committee has done important work: protecting crop insurance, passing important grains inspections legislation, improving the grains standard in our child nutrition bill headed to the Senate floor, and important tax relief for producers. I look forward to another year with our sleeves rolled up, putting the farmer and rancher first.”
Chairman Roberts received the “Wheat Advocate” award given annually to members of Congress who have demonstrated support for the wheat industry above and beyond the norm.
Members of Chairman Roberts’ staff received the “Friend of Wheat” award given annually to congressional staff who demonstrated support for the wheat industry above and beyond the norm, including Wayne Stoskopf, Will Stafford, James Glueck and Andrew Vlasaty.
Wayne Stoskopf, professional staff for the Committee, was raised on his family’s wheat, sorghum and livestock farm near Hoisington. Stoskopf graduated from Kansas State University with a Bachelor of Science Degree in Agribusiness. Stoskopf previously worked in Roberts’ personal office serving as the agriculture legislative assistant until he went to the Committee in 2015.
James Glueck, senior policy advisor for the Committee handling biotechnology, risk management and grain inspection, earned a Bachelor of Science degree in Agricultural Development from Texas A&M University. Glueck has worked for the Agriculture Committee since 2013.
Will Stafford is a graduate of Towson University, where he received a Bachelor of Science in Economics. Stafford has been Senator Roberts’ agriculture legislative assistant in the personal office since March 2015.
Andrew Vlasaty, senior professional staff on the Committee, handles conservation, forestry, and environment issues. Vlasaty graduated from Santa Clara University with a Bachelor of Science in Political Science. Vlasaty has worked for the Agriculture Committee since 2011.