U.S. Rep. Jim Matheson, a Democrat, was re-elected in 2008 to his fifth term representing Utah’s 2nd District. He also belongs to the LDS church.

Daniel Sumner directs the University of California Agricultural Issues Center in Davis, Calif.

Mechel “Mickey” Paggi directs the Center for Agricultural Business at California State University, Fresno.

Stephen Devadoss is a professor of agricultural economics and rural sociology at the University of Idaho.

Ronda Rutledge is executive director of the Sustainable Food Center in Austin, Texas. She has supported reforming the commodity program and improving rural development and nutrition programs.

Kenneth Dierschke is president of the Texas Farm Bureau. See his April 5, 2012, post, “What is it about the Farm Bill that is so difficult?”

Sterling Brown is the Utah Farm Bureau Federation’s vice president for public policy.

Arlin S. Wasserman is founder of the St. Paul-based consulting firm Changing Tastes, which counsels philanthropic organizations and food companies on agriculture and food trends.

Mark Muller is director of the Food and Justice Program at the Institute for Agriculture and Trade Policy in Minneapolis, which posts resources on the farm bill. See also a Nov. 7, 2011, column that Muller wrote about the bill.