USDA’s Agricultural Marketing Service (AMS) has announced the consolidation of the Livestock and Seed Program’s Audit, Review and Compliance and Meat Grading and Certification Branches.
The restructured organization, named the Grading and Verification (GV) Division, is headquartered in the Denver area and led by Larry R. Meadows, division director, with Stephen H. Cave and James L. Riva as deputy directors. Stephen Cave will manage the financial, administrative, and personnel functions, and James Riva will oversee grading, certification, and auditing services.
Commenting on the consolidation, AMS administrator Rayne Regg stated: “The consolidation of the branches ensures that AMS will continue to provide marketing services to the livestock and meat industry in the most efficient and cost-effective manner possible. We strongly believe that the merger will accent the best of both branches and position the program to increase the availability of innovative value-adding services to meet the emerging needs of an industry that is critical to the nation’s economy.”
