Larry Sitzman, former head of the Nebraska Department of Agriculture, has been appointed executive director of the Nebraska Pork Producers Association.

"We are excited Larry is joining our organization and are confident he has the experience and skills to guide the organization well into the future," says Bill Luckey, president of NPPA and a pork producer from Columbus. "His service record on boards as well as the state director of agriculture shows his genuine support of all commodities and all sizes and styles of agricultural production."

Sitzman operated a diversified farm in southwest Nebraska and has an extensive background in agricultural promotion, including eight years as the Nebraska ag director. He has also provided leadership on numerous boards, including the state 4-H Foundation, the U.S. Meat Export Federation, the U.S. Grains Council and the Ag Council of America.

He also was employed by Sands Livestock Systems in an international sales position in the company's construction division.

Sitzman can be reached at (402) 472-0492, (888) 627-7675 or [email protected].  

NPPA describes itself as a grassroots organization created to promote the swine industry through research, promotion and education, and it represents Nebraska's pork producers on a wide variety of industry and public policy issues.

NPPA, says Luckey, "encourages a sensible, sustainable approach to pork production that takes the best Nebraska has to offer and transforms it into opportunity--for all. Annually, Nebraska's pork industry generates more than $1 billion dollars in state economic activity and employs thousands of Nebraskans in local communities across the state."