Board of Directors

Greg Kirkham - President of Ag Council

Greg is the Executive Director of the Lancaster County Agriculture Council, having been elected to that role by the Board of Directors effective August 1, 2023.

After receiving his Bachelor's degree in 1974, Greg was employed by the Pennsylvania National Insurance Company in Harrisburg, PA, as a commercial lines underwriter. Four years later, he joined an agency in Lancaster, PA. Greg went back to the company side of the business in 1981 with the Old Guard Mutual Insurance Company, which was later purchased in 2000 by Westfield Group. While with Westfield, Greg organized the first Academic Advisory Council of the Westfield Group bringing together leading farm safety specialists from different Land Grant Universities to work jointly with Westfield staff on farm safety initiatives.

Prior to his retirement in March of 2024, Greg and Westfield worked with the College of Agricultural Sciences at The Penn State University. Previous projects have included the Farm Safety Quiz Bowl at Ag Progress Days and the PA Farm Show, the ROPS retrofit project, and the Agricultural Safety and Health Best Management Practices (ASHBMP) hazard audit tool. He was inducted into the Armsby Honor Society of the College of Agricultural Sciences at Penn State in 2013.

In addition to his continuing service on the board of the Penn State Ag Council, Greg is a former board member of Lancaster Farmland Trust, a current board member of the Farm Safety & Occupational Health Advisory Board with the PA Department of Agriculture, a charter board member of the Lancaster County Agriculture Council and a charter board member of FFA S.A.F.E. (Saving Area Farms Effectively).

Greg lives in Millersville, Lancaster County, with his wife Sandra. They are the proud parents of three children and have five grandchildren.

Jim Shirk - Vice President of Ag Council

Jim is a dedicated agricultural leader with a lifelong passion for farming, sustainability, and animal health. As a ninth-generation farmer in Lancaster County, Pennsylvania, Jim and his wife, Stephanie, continue their family's rich agricultural legacy with adding a small herd of Black Angus beef and Boer goats to the diversified grain operation. He holds a degree in Environmental Resource Management from The Penn State University and has spent his career advancing the poultry, swine, and broader agricultural industries.

Currently, Jim manages poultry vaccine sales in the Eastern United States for Ceva US, where he works closely with producers to enhance animal health and biosecurity. His diverse career includes experience as a Chesapeake Bay technician, leadership in agricultural advocacy with the Lancaster Chamber of Commerce, promotion of the poultry industry as Executive Director of the PennAg Poultry Council, and sales expertise in the swine sector at Wenger Feeds.

Beyond his professional work, Jim is a committed advocate for agriculture and community service. He currently serves as a Commissioner for the Pennsylvania Animal Health and Diagnostic Commission and served as the Liaison for the Council for Agricultural Research, Extension, and Teaching (CARET), where he previously served as Chairman. His leadership extends across numerous agricultural and community organizations, including past presidencies with the Penn State Ag Council and the Pennsylvania FFA Foundation. He has also served in advisory and board roles with the Lancaster Farmland Trust, Lancaster County Conservation District, and the American Egg Board Northeast Egg Caucus, among others.

Deeply engaged in his local community, Jim has been a founding member of the Knights of Columbus Council 13451, a coach for the S3DA Archery Club, and a leader in local church and township planning initiatives. His extensive experience in agriculture, policy, and community development makes him a respected voice in the industry and a sought-after speaker on topics ranging from sustainable farming to agricultural advocacy.

Jim's expertise, passion, and commitment to the future of agriculture continue to shape and support the industry at both the local and national levels.

Dave Smith - Secretary/Treasurer of Ag Council

Dave is the Executive Director of the Pennsylvania Dairymen's Association, a non-profit organization that supports the Pennsylvania dairy industry by funding programs that promote next-generation career development in agriculture.

In addition, he serves on the Board of Directors of Horizon Farm Credit and currently hold the position of Chair of the Board.

He also serves as President of the Pennsylvania Ag Discovery Center project, and assists his son, Joel, on their family farm, which raises dairy heifer replacements and beef cattle for a direct-to-consumer beef business.

Marc Lewis - Past President of Ag Council

Marc represents the Pennsylvania Forestry Association on the Ag Council board. A SAF Certified forester, Co-owner and Corporate officer of Dwight Lewis Lumber Company in Hillsgrove, PA and Lewis Lumber Products in Picture Rocks, PA as well as a founder and board member of Woodlands Bank.

Following two years at Mont Alto, Marc graduated in 1978 from Penn State with a B.S. degree in Forest Science. He has served as a director and in leadership roles in numerous state, local, and national industry and conservation organizations including serving as president of the Pennsylvania Forestry Association.

Cory Chelko

Cory Chelko is a proud Penn State alumnus, graduating in 2011 with a degree in Soil Science. He is currently employed by GDM Seeds Inc., a global seed organization that researches, develops, and markets products in plant genetics from an extensive list of agronomic crops.

His experience in business relations, combined with his active involvement in the Pennsylvania Farm Bureau's policy and advocacy efforts, has enabled him to bring both a strategic perspective and practical insight to agricultural issues in Pennsylvania and across the United States. He is a strong advocate for partnerships between academia, government, and industry. Cory was recently appointed as the Liaison for the Council for Agricultural Research, Extension, and Teaching (CARET) for The Penn State University.

Cory resides in Jersey Shore, Pennsylvania, and enjoys outdoor activities and staying active.

Justin Clapper

Justin Clapper is the Assistant Director, Development & Sponsorship for Pennsylvania Farm Bureau. In this role, he leads initiatives to grow and manage strategic partnerships and sponsorship programs that support PFB's mission and member engagement.

Previously, Justin served as Manager, Government Affairs & Communications for three and a half years, where he helped advance agricultural policy priorities and strengthen PFB's communications strategy. Before that, he supported the grassroots efforts of PFB members as a Regional Organization Director and the Young Ag Professionals Committee Director.

Justin has been with PFB since 2017 and holds a bachelor's degree in management from Juniata College. Outside his professional work, he has nearly 20 years of experience in the beef industry as a cattleman, reflecting his lifelong dedication to Pennsylvania agriculture.

Richard Cole

Richard graduated from The Pennsylvania State University with a degree in Agricultural Economics and Rural Sociology. With over four decades of experience, he has built a distinguished career as a grain and feed ingredient trader and merchandiser. Most of his professional journey has been with PACMA and Perdue, trading a wide range of grains and feed commodities across states east of the Mississippi River.

Currently, Richard serves as the wheat buyer and futures consultant for Snavelys Mill, which operates four milling locations in Pennsylvania and specializes in soft, hard, and organic wheat. He is an active member and past President and board member of Penn Ag Industries, an agricultural business lobbying and promotional organization. Additionally, he is a current member of the Pennsylvania Farm Bureau and a former Executive Director of the Pennsylvania Corn Growers Association.

Richard has also contributed extensively to agricultural education, presenting grain marketing seminars for both extension services and private groups.

Matt Ehrhart

Matt Ehrhart is the Director of Watershed Restoration at the Stroud Water Research Center. As Director, Matt is focused on building and managing a restoration program that integrates current science and technology into watershed restoration and demonstrating how to maximize ecological and water quality outcomes while serving the needs of farms and communities. The Stroud Center team is integrating resiliency, other climate-based concerns, and market driven funding into research and implementation efforts in stream and watershed restoration. Further objectives include effectively leveraging federal and state resources and demonstrating how to improve public programs and public spending on conservation work. He is also engaged in state, regional, and national policy issues.

Prior to moving to Stroud, Matt served as the Executive Director for the Pennsylvania office of the Chesapeake Bay Foundation (CBF) for 18 years.

Matt earned a Bachelor's Degree in Environmental Resource Management and a Master of Engineering in Engineering Science from The Pennsylvania State University.

Justin McCullough

Justin is a seasoned agricultural professional and proud Penn State alumnus, having earned his B.S. in Agricultural Science with a minor in Agronomy in 2004. With a career spanning the Northeast, Justin brings over two decades of experience in various facets of agriculture, including agronomy, extension services, and industry leadership. For the past ten years, he has been a valued member of Corteva Agriscience, where he continues to support farmers and agribusinesses with innovative solutions and deep agronomic insight.

Justin's commitment to Pennsylvania agriculture is reflected in his service on several influential boards, including the former Lawrence County Cooperative Extension, PA Farm Bureau Young Ag Professionals, and the Pennsylvania Agronomic Education Society. His broad involvement has given him a unique perspective on the evolving needs of producers, agribusinesses, and future agricultural professionals across the Keystone State. He was recently appointed as the Liaison for the Council for Agricultural Research, Extension, and Teaching (CARET) at The Pennsylvania State University.

Residing near Slippery Rock, Pennsylvania, Justin enjoys spending time with his family and staying active with his three children's many activities.

Jennifer Reed-Harry

Jennifer Reed-Harry has been following environmental regulations and legislation for the past 20+ years with a watchful eye for how it will impact the livelihood of Pennsylvania farmers and agribusiness.

Jennifer serves numerous state committees with direct oversight on issues such as compliance with Chesapeake Bay mandates, EPA, CAFO issues, land application of manure, biosolids, FPRs, as well as cropping and agronomic issues.

Jennifer joined PennAg Industries Association in 2009 and works on issues related to environmental regulations and legislation, transportation, workforce labor; as well as serves as a registered lobbyist. In addition, Jennifer serves as the Executive Director of the Pennsylvania & Eastern Region Soybean Board; the Executive Director of the Center for Poultry and Livestock Excellence and the liaison for the Pennsylvania Aquaculture Advisory Committee.

Prior to joining PennAg, Jennifer worked for the Pennsylvania Farm Bureau as the Natural Resources Director, and for Country View Family Farms, where she oversaw growth and expansion of contract farms in Pennsylvania, New York, Ohio, and Indiana. She began her career at the Fulton County Conservation District, where she served as District Manager and lead for erosion and sedimentation.

Jennifer holds a Bachelor of Science degree in Agribusiness from Delaware Valley College (now Delaware Valley University), located in Doylestown, PA.

Marlene Stauffer

Marlene Stauffer is a Pennsylvania native from Mercer County where her family had a dairy farm. She showed registered Holstein cows with the local 4-H Club. She earned her Food Science Degree in the College of Agricultural Sciences at The Pennsylvania State University, where she was involved with the Food Science, Dairy Science and Block and Bridle Clubs.

She is currently a Technical Fellow focusing on R&D and Regulatory at the Blommer Chocolate Company located in East Greenville, PA. She offers support for all aspects of regulatory, food safety, and quality from raw materials, manufacturing, quality systems, product development to technical assistance for internal and external customers.

Certifications include FSPCA Preventive Controls for Human Food (PCQI), FSVP, Internal Auditor certification by SAI Global, and Advanced HACCP certification through the International HACCP Alliance. Marlene has taught at several NCA, PMCA, RCI, and university classes, and has spoken at PMCA, RCI, AACT, BCMA, FCIA, CMAA, and CASA events. She led the NCA Proposition 65 Industry Working Group to recommend best practices.

She is a member of the PMCA (Professional Manufacturing Confectioners Association) Membership Committee, Production Conference Program Committee, and Education Committee. She is also a member of AACT (American Association of Candy Technologists); the Chocolate, Regulatory, and Health & Nutrition Committees of the NCA (National Confectioners Association); the Cocoa Merchants Regulatory Committee (CMAA); and the Pennsylvania Ag Council. Additionally, she serves as a board member of FARRP (Food Allergy Resource and Research Program).

She is a past recipient of the Marie Kelso and Stroud Jordan Awards, a former PMCA President and Board Chairman, and currently serves as President of the Pennsylvania Food Industry Group. Marlene was inducted into the Candy Hall of Fame in 2024.

Caleb Wright

Caleb Wright serves as the Chief Strategist for Versant Strategies, a leading public affairs firm with a specialization in agricultural and rural affairs, as well as the Director of Wine Production for Armstrong Valley Vineyard and Winery. He was raised on a Huntingdon County sheep and goat farm that has borne his family's name for over a century. He grew up as the grandson of the region's renowned veterinarian, Doc Kyper. Prior to joining Versant Strategies, he taught high school agriculture in New Holland, PA, and in his early youth was a state FFA (Future Farmers of America) officer and national FFA officer candidate.

Caleb graduated from Penn State with a Bachelor of Science degree in agricultural and extension education. Further, he was named one of the "30 under 30" by AgGrad, and a "40 Under 40" by City and State PA. Caleb was also listed on City and State's PA Ag Power 100 List. He has served on numerous boards in leadership positions, including President of the PA FFA Foundation, and President of the Penn State College of Agricultural Sciences Alumni Society Board.

He advocates both in Harrisburg and Washington and is the firm's foremost Farm Bill expert.