Grimmway Produce Group executive reappointed to EPA committee

Russell L. Hamlin, Grimmway Produce Group (GPG) senior vice president of farming, has been reappointed by EPA Administrator Lee Zeldin to serve on the agency’s Farm, Ranch, and Rural Communities Federal Advisory Committee (FRRCC).

Hamlin was first appointed to the committee in November 2024 and has been named to the newest slate of appointees on the 21-member committee.

The FRRCC provides independent policy advice and recommendations to the EPA Administrator on environmental issues affecting agriculture and rural communities, including water and air quality, pesticide management, conservation practices and technological innovation.

“Russ’ reappointment is recognition of the depth of experience he has built over nearly 25 years in production agriculture,” GPG president and CEO Ken Silveira said in a news release. “His continued role on the FRRCC ensures that growers, and the organic and specialty crop sector in particular, remain strongly represented at the federal level.”

Hamlin is a current member and former chair of the International Fresh Produce Association’s Organics Committee, has chaired the California Fresh Carrot Advisory Board since 2021, and serves on the Industry Advisory Board of the Grimm Family Center for Organic Research and Education at Cal Poly San Luis Obispo.

“My work on the FRRCC is both an honor and a responsibility,” Hamlin said. “Farmers and ranchers need practical, workable federal policies and regulations. I’ve spent my career in the field, and I look forward to bringing that farming perspective to the EPA as we work together to tackle issues including water quality, land and water conservation, and the next generation of precision agriculture.”