Jeffrey Steiner

Dr. Jeffrey Steiner recently joined the Global Hemp Innovation Center after serving as division director for plant production at the USDA National Institute of Food and Agriculture in Washington, DC. He was the NIFA technical lead for hemp, and helped establish department policies for utilizing grant programs for hemp research. He also served as the NIFA representative to the first nation-wide Hatch multi-state research project for industrial hemp, and advised the USDA Office of the Chief Scientist in the organization of the first department-wide symposium to update employees on the status of hemp science.

Jeff has broad leadership experience in government and academic settings conducting and administering food and agriculture, natural resources, and bioenergy systems research. As a science expert for food and agriculture systems, he has served as an adviser to political appointees and government officials, as well as to commodity, conservation, and economic development organizations.

Jeff is a fellow of the American Society of Agronomy and Crop Science Society of America (CSSA) and recipient of the career CSSA Seed Science Award. He was raised on a diversified family farm near Visalia in the California San Joaquin Valley where his parents grew cotton, alfalfa hay, grain, and fruit and nut tree crops, and raised hogs and cattle.