Puffenbarger named first woman to lead turkey federation
NTF elects 2026 officers at annual convention in Florida
24 February 2026
1 minute read
By: The National Turkey Federation announced its 2026 officer team and executive committee members, elected by its board of directors during the 2026 annual convention in Fort Lauderdale, Florida, the organisation said.
Christy Puffenbarger, vice president of technical services at Aviagen Turkeys Inc., was elected chairwoman, becoming the first woman to hold the position in the organization’s more than 80-year history. She succeeds Jay Jandrain, president and CEO of Butterball LLC, who served as chairman in 2025.
Russ Dierenfield of Tyson Foods will serve as vice chair and John King of Virginia Poultry Growers Cooperative as secretary treasurer. Jandrain will move into the role of immediate past chair.
“Serving as chair of the National Turkey Federation is both an incredible responsibility and a milestone. Being the first woman to hold this role reflects how our industry continues to evolve, but it also underscores the importance of strong leadership rooted in experience, science and collaboration,” said Puffenbarger. “The turkey industry is facing complex challenges, from animal health and welfare to food safety and global trade, and progress will depend on thoughtful, practical solutions that work across the entire supply chain. NTF plays a critical role in bringing producers, processors and allied industry together, and I look forward to helping guide that work in a way that strengthens the industry today and positions it for the future.”
Puffenbarger has more than three decades of experience in turkey production and live operations. She joined Aviagen Turkeys Inc. in 2006 and leads its global technical services team. She previously spent 17 years with Rocco/Cargill in production leadership roles and has served on the federation’s executive committee, welfare standards subcommittee and animal health task force.
Joining Puffenbarger, Dierenfield, King and Jandrain on the 2026 executive committee are Brandon Achen, Kevin Atkins, Ryan Downes, Darrin Froemming, Peter Gruhl, Dr. Michelle Kromm, Blair McCorriston, Matt Schrupp, Curtis Walcott, Jordan Woodbury and John Zimmerman.
