Tony Eberhard joined the IDFA team in May 2017. He works with members on policy development and legislative strategy while advocating for dairy foods companies and the dairy industry before the Congress and the Administration. Before joining IDFA, he was the deputy chief of staff and legislative director for Senator John Hoeven (R-ND) and guided the senator's legislative agenda, overseeing efforts on the farm bill, biotechnology labeling issues, immigration reform and White House budget negotiations. Before that, he was a senior principal responsible for legislative affairs at the National Rural Electric Cooperative Association and also worked as a staff member to Sen. Saxby Chambliss (R-GA), then ranking member of the Senate Committee on Agriculture, Nutrition and Forestry. Eberhard also was deputy legislative director and then acting legislative director for Sen. Norm Coleman (R-MN), where he established the senator as a leader on agricultural issues with a focus on dairy and rural development. Eberhard began his career on Capitol Hill in the House of Representatives, working first for Rep. Kenny Hulshof (R-MO) and then Rep. Jo Ann Emerson (R-MO). He earned a Bachelor of Science degree in political science from Truman State University in Kirksville, Mo.
