Agriculture and Forestry Commissioner-elect Mike Strain, DVM, announced the appointment of five assistant commissioners to his staff at the Department of Agriculture and Forestry.

These appointments are effective Jan. 14, 2008.

James "Todd" Parker of Baton Rouge will lead the Office of Agricultural and Environmental Sciences (AES); Benjy Rayburn of Denham Springs the Office of Agro-Consumer Services (ACS); Brent Robbins, DVM, of Folsom the Office of Animal Health Services (AHS); Craig Gannuch of Baton Rouge the Office of Management and Finance (OMF); and Rene Simon of New Iberia the Office of Marketing (Marketing).

"The core mission of the department is to advance and promote agriculture and forestry and these assistant commissioners have the focus and drive to successfully accomplish this goal," Strain said. "They are exceptional leaders the taxpayers of this state can count on to run efficient, effective programs that serve the public well."

Parker is a former Louisiana Senate analyst with experience staffing the Committee on Agriculture, Forestry, Aquaculture, and Rural Development. He is a graduate of Louisiana State University in Baton Rouge and obtained an MBA from the LSU Graduate School.

Parker will oversee programs ranging from structural pesticides and boll weevil eradication, to horticulture and quarantine and seed certification. AES licenses and certifies people who apply pesticides in crop fields and residential or commercial structures.

Rayburn has worked for LDAF 17 years and is the current assistant commissioner of ACS. He is a graduate of Southeastern Louisiana University in Hammond and holds a masters degree from LSU.

Rayburn manages programs including dairy stabilization, agricultural commodities, and weights and measures. The weights and measures division verifies taxi meters, meat scales and UPC scanners at retail stores and annually inspects fuel pumps at gas stations.

Robbins is a former veterinary clinic owner and current director of St. Tammany Parish Animal Services. He is a graduate of LSU with degrees in both animal science and dairy science. Robbins also obtained a Doctor of Veterinary Medicine degree from LSU and an MBA from the University of New Orleans.

AHS includes the Livestock Brand Commission, the State Veterinarian's office, the Livestock Sanitary Board, meat inspection, and poultry, egg, fruit and vegetable programs. Robbins will be responsible for the prevention and control of livestock diseases in the state as well as investigating farm crimes.

Gannuch has worked for the Louisiana Legislature as a budget or fiscal analyst since 1995. He holds a bachelors degree and Master of Public Administration degree from LSU. Gannuch will oversee administrative services, auditing, fiscal and accounting offices, personnel, facility maintenance, management information services and food distribution.

Simon comes to the department from McIlhenny Co. He is a graduate of LSU and is a former sugarcane, soybean and wheat farmer.

Under Simon's leadership, the marketing office will organize promotional events for Louisiana products, administer agricultural loan programs, and staff promotion and research boards for commodities like crawfish, catfish and strawberries.

There are seven assistant commissioners within the department. The state's Forestry Commission and Soil and Water Conservation Committee each make their own assistant commissioner appointment.

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