Potts succeeds retiring president and CEO Barry Carpenter and will assume the role from 24 September.
She has served the American Farm Bureau Federation (AFBF) since 2011 as its executive vice president and treasurer. In her role, Potts led the AFBF staff in its implementation of all programs and activities for the organisation, as well as the coordination between AFBF and its affiliated companies.
Potts first joined AFBF in 2004, serving as general counsel until 2009. In late 2009, she was named chief counsel of the Senate Agriculture Committee, serving under then-chairman Blanche Lincoln of Arkansas.
Previously, Potts was an associate in the environmental law groups of the Washington, DC, law firms Mayer Brown, LLP, and Sonnenschein, Nath & Rosenthal. She also clerked for US magistrate Judge John M Facciola in the US District Court for the District of Columbia from 1997-1998.
“Julie Anna Potts’ deep legal, legislative and association experience and her passion for agriculture will serve the Institute and its members well as we embark on the next chapter in our Institute’s history,” said Meat Institute chair John Vatri, vice-president of operations at Cardinal Meat Specialists. “We look forward to having her join our historic Institute and our meat industry family and we are confident that her skills and experience will help us continue to serve our members’ needs.”
NAMI member companies account for more than 95% of US output of these products. It provides regulatory, scientific, legislative, public relations and educational services to the meat and poultry packing and processing industry.