Lavway named new deputy commissioner

12 years ago

By Scott Mitchell Johnson
Staff Writer
    AUGUSTA — Washburn native Dave Lavway has been promoted to deputy commissioner of the Department of Agriculture, Conservation and Forestry (DACF).
    Lavway, who since July 2011 has been the director of the Division of Animal and Plant Health, will lead economic development and marketing efforts.

    “We have seven divisions in the merged Department of Agriculture, Conservation and Forestry, so we’ll be taking an inventory of existing programs and see how they relate to economic development and marketing,” said Lavway, who now resides in Glenburn. “Then we’ll formulate a plan to connect the dots between the programs.
    “This position I’m in is designed to facilitate teamwork and economic activity. We want to support the creation of new jobs, support existing land-based activities, streamline regulations and assist in ideas planning,” he said. “On the marketing front, I’ll be coordinating efforts across the department to increase awareness to what we can do for Maine’s agriculture, forestry and natural resources, outdoor recreation, public access interests and things like that. The goal is to meet landowners, corporate partners and communities and see what we can do to help them take that next step in the process of their development.”
    Lavway has an extensive background in agriculture and administration, including seven years as executive director of the Maine Potato Board and eight years as state executive director of the Maine Farm Service Agency, a unit of the U.S. Department of Agriculture (USDA).
    He also served as director of government relations for the National Potato Council and as an administrative officer with USDA’s Agricultural Research Service. Lavway holds a bachelor of science degree in agricultural business and economics from the University of Maine.
    “I think this is going to be a good fit,” said Lavway, “and I’m looking forward to what we can do.”
    Replacing Lavway as the director of the Division of Animal and Plant Health will be Ellis Additon who comes to DACF from Feed Commodities International, in Detroit, Maine, where he served as general manager and grew the business by more than 60 percent over six years. He has also handled loan and leasing finance in the agricultural, forestry and construction industries in Maine as a district manager with Telmark, Inc., a subsidiary of Agway, Inc. Additon received a bachelor of science degree in agriculture and resources economics from the University of Maine.
    Additon will oversee a diverse operation charged with protecting the state’s plant resources from destructive insects and diseases and ensuring the proper and humane treatment of animals. The division also enforces pesticide laws and works to prevent the introduction and spread of contagious diseases among poultry and livestock.
    Lavway began his new duties Jan. 10.