Oregon Gov. Kate Brown has appointed Shantae Johnson of Corbett and Grant Kitamura of Ontario to serve on the Oregon State Board of Agriculture. Both appointments will be effective November 1, 2018 and they will serve a 4-year term. “Shantae and Grant reflect the diverse nature of agriculture production in Oregon and I am excited to welcome them to the board,” said Oregon Department of Agriculture (ODA) Director, Alexis Taylor. “I want to sincerely thank Tracey and Laura for their years of service to Oregon agriculture. The Board provides invaluable insight and experience that keep us grounded and connected to the industry.” Shantae Johnson, co-owns and manages a small urban farm called Mudbone Grown, in northeast Portland. For Johnson farming is more than just a business venture it’s a homecoming, a celebration of her ancestors. Her community-oriented collective farming and farmer training program is designed for and led by people of color and veterans of military service. Her goal is to use the land as a way to teach job skills and self-sustainability. Johnson manages the farm with her partner Arthur Shavers and is the proud mother of six children and a graduate of Portland State University. Grant Kitamura, is the grandchild of Japanese immigrant parents, who were interned during World War II because of their ancestry. Born and raised in Ontario he has transformed his onion business into a successful, modern enterprise shipping onions nationwide. As part owner of Baker & Murakami Produce Company Grant continues to grow his business through automation, new cultural practices and creative marketing. He is a graduate of Oregon State University, has been married to Carole for 42 years and is the proud father of three children and four grandchildren. Outgoing board members Tracey Liskey of Klamath Falls and Laura Masterson of Portland served two consecutive 4-year terms. New members Johnson and Kitamura will attend their first meeting on November 27-29 in McMinnville. The Oregon State Board of Agriculture advises the Director and ODA regarding the implementation, and administration of programs and the development of policies designed to improve the agricultural industry statewide. The 10-member board is made up of 9 governor appointees; and the tenth member is the chair of the Soil and Water Conservation Commission. The ODA director and dean of the College of Agricultural Sciences at Oregon State University serve as ex-officio members of the board without the right to vote.
