SALEM, Ore. — Several staff changes are coming to the Oregon Department of Agriculture (ODA) this month. As a valuable partner, we want to inform you about these changes to help provide seamless communication and transactions with the agency. Please join us in congratulating Helmuth Rogg, Director of Plant Protection and Conservation Programs, who has announced he will retire from ODA. Rogg’s last day is August 24, 2021.
Isaak Stapleton, Director of Food Safety and Animal Health Programs, has agreed to serve as interim director of the Plant Protection and Conservation Program Area until a permanent program director is hired. ODA will conduct an open recruitment to fill the position as soon as possible. Stapleton and Rogg will work together until Rogg retires to provide a smooth leadership transition.
Rusty Rock, Food Safety Program Manager has agreed to serve as interim director for Food Safety and Animal Health Programs while Stapleton leads the Plant Protection and Conservation Programs.
Mike Odenthal, former lead pesticide investigator, has accepted the Hemp Program manager position. Odenthal has been working in ODA’s Hemp Program for several months assisting with regulatory work. ODA would like to thank Tim Butler, Program Manager of the Noxious Weed Control Program, who has been filling in as hemp manager while the agency waited for the hemp manager position to be created and funded by the legislature. Odenthal and Butler will continue to work together to get through the 2021 hemp growing season. Additionally, ODA will continue to use the Noxious Weed Program staff to complete hemp program duties through the remainder of the 2021 growing season.
ODA is in the process of filling the eight (8) new hemp positions the legislature funded. Please be patient, it will take time to get staff hired and trained. Thank you for your continued partnership and patience during this time of transition.
— Oregon Department of Agriculture
For more Oregon news, click here.