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WHAT WE DO 

Gordley Associates is a full service government relations firm specializing in legislation and regulatory policies affecting agriculture and related industries.  Full service means that, with six full-time professionals on our staff, we are able to fill a range of needs -- from monitoring and analysis to lobbying on single or multiple issues to serving as headquarters for small trade associations.  A partial list of current clients includes the American Soybean Association, the National Sunflower Association, the U.S. Canola Association, the National Barley Growers Association, the USA Dry Pea and Lentil Council and the National Biodiesel Board.

Our work is best described as “government relations” rather than “public affairs.”  Public affairs companies specialize in high profile or controversial issues where policy can be influenced by public opinion, driven by media campaigns and opinion polls.   On occasion, we work on issues that can be leveraged through media attention, and we will then build this tactic into the overall strategy.  But most of our work is retail lobbying and regulatory work -- a less glamorous process.  As the ad says, we get results the old fashioned way:  “getting our fingernails dirty” through direct and daily relationships with Members of Congress and their staff, Administration policy officials, and public agency regulators.

WHERE WE SPECIALIZE

The agricultural policy areas and issues we work on include:

• Farm programs and national farm policy

• Risk management programs (federal crop insurance, trade options, CFTC, etc.)

• Agricultural research, education and extension programs and funding

• Environment and conservation programs and policies

• Food safety regulations and crop protection products

• Domestic transportation and infrastructure issues

• International trade policy and export programs

• Agricultural tax issues

In addition, member of our staff have particular expertise in specific areas, based on work experience on Capitol Hill and in Executive Branch Agencies:

• Assessing compliance requirements of USDA and FDA food safety laws.

• Expediting approval of crop insurance coverage for specific commodities; 

• Developing and obtaining funding for research projects from ARS, CSREES, and NSF;

• Reviewing and determining compliance requirements with USDA and EPA environmental and conservation regulations;

• Expediting emergency and permanent pesticide registration reviews by EPA;

HOW WE WORK 

While some clients are interested only in monitoring an issue and getting advice on prospects for government action, the majority have specific goals:  what they want to get done or keep from happening.  We believe the first step in building a successful working relationship is to translate each goal into a strategy comprised of well-defined objectives that are both “doable” (in our view) and meaningful (in view of the client).  By working with us to develop the strategy and define the objectives, clients come to better understand both the opportunities and the limitations of the policy development process in Washington.  This up-front communication and consensus building is key to a good working relationship, and to maintaining positive relations and building trust with Members of Congress and officials in Executive Branch agencies. 

Setting specific objectives also gives both the client and the consultant benchmarks for evaluating performance and results.  While the unpredictable nature of the legislative process makes “sure things” or even “strong probabilities” impossible to predict, we will discourage a client from pursuing objectives that lack a reasonable chance of success.  By the same measure, if we agree to develop and undertake a strategy, our reasons must be better than a simple probability assessment. 

Measuring performance by results makes more sense to us than submitting detailed time records.  In our view, clients are more interested in the quality than the quantity of our work.  For this reason, we normally work on a flat monthly fee basis, with the understanding that the fee covers whatever it takes to get the job done.  Our experience is that both our firm and our clients have a clear idea about whether fees are fair or require adjustment.  However, we are willing to document reimbursable time as well as expenses if a client prefers.  

We believe that, properly prepared, clients are their own best lobbyists.  While we have excellent relations with Members of Congress and their staff, their ability to become actively engaged in our issues grows exponentially when there is a constituent interest involved.  As a result, we build strategies around Members who represent states and districts where a client lives or has an economic presence.  And we make sure the Member gets proper credit back home when results are achieved. 

 These are only a few of the techniques we have found that work well, both in establishing the right relationship with a client and in helping achieve the client’s goals.  We would be pleased to discuss how they might be applied to your specific situation and interests.   

STAFF PROFILES

John Gordley
John established Gordley Associates in 1987, and has overseen the firm’s growth to a staff of six.  His experience on Capitol Hill includes five years as legislative aide responsible for agriculture for Senator and Majority Leader Bob Dole, interrupted by a stint as Special Assistant to President Reagan in the White House Office of Policy Development in 1984-85.  Previously, John opened and managed a foreign market development office in Morocco for U.S. Wheat Associates, from 1977 to 1980.

John’s areas of expertise include farm policy and producer support programs, agricultural trade policy, and biotechnology.  He has played a major role in every national farm bill since 1981, including introducing the decoupling concept and establishing price support loan programs for minor oilseeds in 1990.  In 1996, he assisted oilseed producer groups in obtaining the only loan rate increase provided under that year’s farm legislation.

John earned his BA from Grinnell College, his MA from Boston College, and a Master of International Management degree from the American Graduate School of International Management.  He was a coordinator for agriculture and rural policy in the 1988 Dole Presidential campaign, and for Rural American for Dole in 1996.  John serves on United States Department of Agriculture’s Agricultural Trade Advisory Committee (ATAC), and is a member and past Chairman of both the Ag Biotech Planning Committee and the Agricultural Biotechnology Forum. 

KRYSTA HARDEN
Krysta Harden joined Gordley Associates in January 1993.  Her immediate past job had been Staff Director of the House Agriculture Subcommittee on Peanuts and Tobacco. Prior to her work on the House Agriculture Committee, she had worked in the personal office of Representative Charles Hatcher (D-GA) since his election to Congress in 1981.

Krysta’s focus of work since joining Gordley Associates has been in agriculture domestic policy.  She has concentrated on key issues including research, environmental and conservation, crop insurance, nutrition, and industrial uses of agriculture commodities.  She was a founding member of CROPS ’99 and served as co-treasurer of the CROPS coalition, which focused on agriculture research issues.  Krysta served as the biodiesel industry point person on legislation that amended the Energy Policy Act of 1990 during the 105^th Congress and coordinated the soybean industry coalition’s effort to secure a health claim with the Food and Drug Administration (FDA).  She has contributed numerous articles to Conservation Digest.

Krysta earned her ABJ from the University of Georgia in 1981.  She has been active in Democrat Congressional and Presidential campaigns since the early 1980s.  

BEVERLY (BEV) PAUL
Beverly Paul handles crop insurance, nutrition, transportation, research, and appropriations issues for Gordley Associates.

Beverly previously worked as a Legislative Assistant for agriculture and trade for Senators Ben Nelson and Bob Kerrey, both of Nebraska.  During that time she helped draft the Agricultural Risk Protection Act of 2000 (ARPA) and worked on the Agriculture Disaster packages for Senator Kerrey.  She also joined the staff of then-Majority Leader Tom Daschle for the 2002 farm bill conference.  Beverly worked for American Agrisurance in Council Bluffs, Iowa from 1995 – 1998.

Beverly is a Nebraska native and holds degrees from the University of Nebraska and the LBJ School of Public Affairs at the University of Texas.

DALE THORENSON
Dale Thorenson started managing his family's farm in north central North Dakota in 1975.  During his years on the farm, Dale was active in community service, serving on various community, cooperative, and county government boards. 

In 1999, Dale accepted a position with Senator Dorgan as his Agriculture Legislative Assistant and Advisor.  While with Senator Dorgan, who is a member of the Senate Appropriations Committee, Dale worked with the Appropriations subcommittee staff to develop the Agriculture Disaster packages for the 1999 and 2000 crops that were included in the FY2000 and FY2001 Agriculture Appropriations bills as well as other agriculture appropriations issues.  Dale also worked on the 2002 Farm Bill as it moved through Congress.

anna Pavlova
Anna Pavlova handles international trade and food aid issues for Gordley Associates.

Anna previously worked in the Washington D.C. office of Central Soya Company. During that time she handled international trade issues for the company, working on including China WTO accession agreement, NAFTA agreement on sugar with Mexico, WTO compliance and trade disputes. 

Anna also worked at an agriculture consulting firm, Promar International, where she generated recommendations for clients on agricultural biotechnology and USDA market development programs.

Anna is from Saint Petersburg, Russia and holds International Politics and Economics degree from the School of Foreign Service of Georgetown University, Washington D.C. 

Kimberly Collell
Kimberly Collell joined Gordley Associates in September 1999 as the firm’s Office Manager.   Until recently, her client relations activities have been behind the scenes, where she has focused on preparing clients for board meetings and filling information requests.  In August 2002, she became Washington Representative for the American Soybean Association on global environmental issues.

Kimberly received her B.A. in International Development and Environmental Studies from the University of Missouri at Columbia in August 1998.

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