Accompanied by an accomplished ag resume, Dr. Keith Menchey has returned to the National Cotton Council (NCC). He will serve as manager, Science and Environmental Issues, at the NCC's Washington D.C. office.

Menchey was formerly employed by the NCC from 1999 to 2003, and was involved with the Clean Water Act, as well as biotechnology and pesticide issues.

Following his initial work with the NCC, he was appointed by Bob Erlich, then governor of Maryland, to the Maryland Department of Agriculture. Menchey served as assistant secretary for policy, and also as chief of staff.

Menchey's resume also includes service as a Congressional Science Fellow with the U.S. House Agriculture Committee, and as a Washington liaison for the American Society of Agronomy. In addition, he recently completed work in the Biotechnology Regulatory Services at USDA's Animal & Plant Health Inspection Service.

Menchey majored in production agriculture at Colorado State University. He then went on to the University of Maryland where he earned both a master's and doctoral degree in agronomy.