The American Soybean Association is expanding its staff in both the D.C. policy office and the St. Louis headquarters to meet the growing needs of the soybean industry. Joining the advocacy team for the national soy group is Carson Fort, who starts Nov. 28 in the second of two newly created policy manager roles, the other filled by Joe Prosser in October. In St. Louis, the Industry Relations department is pleased to add Maria Brockamp to its ranks.
ASA is in the process of hiring a manager for its "SoyPAC" political action committee, to be located in D.C., and a state and industry relations manager in the St. Louis office. ASA’s World Initiative for Soy in Human Health (WISHH) program will soon add a new manager, as well.
The policy managers will contribute to policy development and advocacy execution, collaborate across ASA functions to provide team support, and build relationships with ASA’s diverse stakeholders. Executive Director of Government Affairs Christy Seyfert and three policy directors remain on the team: Kyle Kunkler, Virginia Houston and Alexa Combelic.
Fort has worked as a legislative issue manager and a program manager, which he says has given him valued experience analyzing legislative and regulatory issues and being a part of a successful team.
Seyfert commented on Fort’s background, “Carson has conducted policy research, monitored legislation and had to understand a broad scope of topics and pick them up quickly. This experience will serve him well in the new role and we feel will make him an asset as he dives into soy and agriculture policy.”
Fort is no stranger to the importance of agriculture, having grown up in rural Ohio. He earned a Bachelor of Arts in Political Science from Manchester University, North Manchester, Indiana, and a Master of Public Administration from The Ohio State University. Before joining ASA, he was a program manager for OSU and served as a legislative issue manager at Stateside Associates. Fort interned in federal advocacy for LNE Group, based in Cleveland, Ohio, and was a program advisor focused on business and government relations for The Fund for American Studies in Washington, D.C.
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