Agriculture Secretary Tom Vilsack appointed four members to serve on the U.S. Department of Agriculture Grain Inspection Advisory Committee. The appointees will serve three-year terms.

Newly appointed members include: Jimmy L. Williams, state administrator of the Missouri Department of Agriculture, Jefferson City, Mo; Terry Peach, owner of Terry Peach Farms, Mutual, Okla., Nicholas R. Friant, business unit food safety leader at Cargill Inc., Mayzata, Minn., and Kia Mikesh, project manager of North Dakota Grain Inspection, Fargo, N.D.

The committee advises the secretary of agriculture and the Grain Inspection, Packers & Stockyards Administration (GIPSA) on the programs and services it delivers under the U.S. Grain Standards Act. The committee's recommendations assist GIPSA in enhancing services for its customers in today's dynamic and changing marketplace. Committee members represent a broad range of agricultural disciplines and interests from grain merchants, official agencies and producers.