DELAWARE - Governor Matt Meyer (D) and Lt. Gov. Kyle Evans Gay (D) announced four new appointments to the Governor’s Council on Agriculture during the Delaware State Fair. According to the Governor's office, it increase representation across Delaware. The new appointees are:
Jackie King (Sussex County): Retired crop insurance consultant, representing risk management
Kristy Baxter Malin (Sussex County): Co-owner of Baxter Farms, representing poultry and crops
Elizabeth Patrick (New Castle County): Co-owner of B&B Farms, representing small farms, livestock, and agritourism
Gwendolyn Pierce (New Castle County): Co-owner of Union Ridge Farms, representing small-scale livestock
They join returning members:
Robert “Bobby” Fifer (Kent County), Chair, representing produce and direct sales
Benjamin Wilson (Kent County), representing grains and soybeans
Paul Cartanza Sr. (Kent County), representing processing grains and vegetables
Agriculture Secretary Don Clifton called the expanded council “the most diverse and engaged” he has seen. “These appointments reflect where farming in our state is headed—innovative, inclusive, and deeply rooted in community.”
The announcement came alongside updates on Delaware’s Food is Medicine initiative, a state-led strategy partnering local agriculture with health care access. The goal is to improve nutrition and wellness for people living in the state struggling with those areas.
“Delaware’s farmers feed our communities, protect our land, and preserve generational knowledge and values,” said Governor Meyer. “By expanding the perspectives on the Council—from agritourism to poultry to small-scale livestock—we are deepening our commitment to policies that work for all farmers and consumers.”
The full Governor’s Council on Agriculture and workgroups are expected to meet in the coming months to help with efforts on climate, rural development and nutrition.