The U.S. Beet Sugar Association announced today that Brian Baenig will join the association as executive vice president on July 25.
Baenig, the former chief of staff to Agriculture Secretary Tom Vilsack, will be promoted to the role of president on Jan. 1, following the retirement of longtime president James W. Johnson.
Prior to joining the sugarbeet processors’ association, Baenig was the executive vice president of the Biotechnology Innovation Organization, where he oversaw the group’s food and agriculture work. Baenig has also served as assistant secretary for congressional relations and as deputy undersecretary of Marketing and Regulatory Programs at the USDA.
Johnson has been president of the association for the past 18 years, over which time he’s also served as chairman of the American Sugar Alliance for five terms.