Ray Starling, former chief of staff for Sen. Thom Tillis, will serve as special assistant to the president

RALEIGH – The N.C. Pork Council today praised the Trump administration for its hiring of Ray Starling as a special assistant to the president for agriculture, trade and food assistance. Starling has strong North Carolina ties, which include working with U.S. Sen. Thom Tillis and the N.C. Department of Agriculture and Consumer Services.

“Ray Starling has been and will be a strong advocate for North Carolina’s family farmers. He has a tremendous appreciation for agriculture and is immensely qualified to advise the president on issues involving agriculture and trade policies,” said Andy Curliss, CEO of the N.C. Pork Council. “We look forward to continuing to work together with him.”

Starling has worked with Sen. Tillis in several capacities dating back to his tenure in the N.C. House. He most recently served as Tillis’ chief of staff. Before working for Tillis, Starling served as general counsel for the N.C. Department of Agriculture and Consumer Services.

About the N.C. Pork Council

The N.C. Pork Council supports and promotes the state’s pork industry. North Carolina is the nation’s second leading pork producer, with more than 2,100 permitted hog farms that raise 8.8 million hogs annually. Pork is one of the North Carolina’s largest and most important agricultural industries, contributing $11 billion a year to the state’s economy. Learn more at www.ncpork.org.