Nominations of Gregory Ibach to be Undersecretary for Trade and Foreign Affairs, Department of Agriculture, and Carl Bednarski, John Grunewald II, and James Middleton to the Farm Credit Administration

Senate Agriculture, Nutrition and Forestry Committee
106 Dirksen

11/10/2026 at 10:30AM

Full committee hearing on several nominees.

The Farm Credit Administration currently has only one member, Jeffery Hall.

Nominees:

  • Gregory Ibach, of Nebraska, to be Undersecretary for Trade and Foreign Affairs, Department of Agriculture
  • Carl Bednarski of Michigan, to be a member of the Farm Credit Administration, for a term expiring May 21, 2034
  • John Grunewald II of Oklahoma, to be a member of the Farm Credit Administration, for a term expiring May 21, 2032
  • James Russell “Rus” Middleton of Virginia, to be a member of the Farm Credit Administration, for a term expiring Oct. 13, 2030.

The owner of 11 Milliron Ranch in Sumner, Neb., Greg Ibach served as director of the Nebraska Department of Agriculture from 2005 to 2017, and served as USDA Undersecretary for Marketing and Regulatory Programs from 2017 to 2025. His wife Teresa Ibach is a Republican member of the Nebraska legislature.

Carl Bednarski retired in 2024 after ten years as president of the Michigan Farm Bureau.

John Grunewald II retired in 2023 after 43 years in the Farm Credit System, including 31 years as president and CEO of Farm Credit of Western Oklahoma. His nomination for the seat ending in 2030 was withdrawn on September 17 but resubmitted on September 28 for the seat ending in 2032.

James Russell “Rus” Middleton has served as the Associate Director of the Office of Congressional and Public Affairs at the FCA since May 2009, and was a Democratic Senior Professional Staff Member for the House Committee on Agriculture (1997–2006). He also spent ten years as a Legislative Assistant to U.S. Representative Charles W. Stenholm (D-Texas).