Patrick Johnson, Jr., a Tunica, Miss., cotton producer, has been appointed by EPA to be a member of its Farm, Ranch, and Rural Communities Committee (FRRCC) to represent the cotton industry interests.

Johnson, who manages his family farming operation that produces cotton, rice, corn, soybeans, wheat and grain sorghum, is a NCC producer delegate, NCC Environmental Task Force member and NCC Cotton Leadership Program graduate. He also is a Tunica County Farm Bureau and Delta Council director.

EPA established the Farm, Ranch, and Rural Communities Committee (FRRCC) in 2008 to provide independent policy advice, information and recommendations to the Administrator on a range of environmental issues and policies that are of importance to agriculture and rural communities. The FRRCC addresses specific topics of relevance to agriculture as identified by the agricultural counselor to the EPA administrator, and reports its policy advice and recommendations to that administrator through the agricultural counselor.

Johnson said he thought having a face-to-face dialogue with EPA staff will be important because he could convey how the agency’s decisions will affect cotton producers.

“It’s important for cotton farmers and those of us who live in rural communities to have our voice heard and be able to communicate with EPA on the major issues, such as pesticide application, involving production agriculture,” he said.