LINCOLN, Neb. (AP) — Sherry Vinton has been confirmed as the director of the Nebraska Department of Agriculture, making her the first woman to head the agency.
Vinton, of Whitman, is a fifth-generation rancher with a family operation in the Nebraska Sandhills.
She was appointed as director by Gov. Jim Pillen last month and confirmed Wednesday by the Nebraska Legislature, replacing Steve Wellman, who held the post under former Gov. Pete Ricketts starting in 2017.
Vinton has served on the Cattlemen’s Beef Board and the Nebraska Environmental Trust board. Starting in 2019, Vinton served as vice president of Nebraska Farm Bureau and served on its board for six years.