James M. Cubie, J.D., is a former chief counsel for the U.S. Senate Agriculture Committee. He has played a decisive role in reforming and developing farm-related conservation programs, including 1990s-era farm bills. Cubie is the founder and former director of the Agricultural Conservation Innovation Center, Inc., once a project of the American Farmland Trust. Cubie is a consultant to the Muhlenberg College Center for Ornithology, where he advises on bird safety and native plants. Hewas formerly a presidential campaign speechwriter and chief counsel for the U.S. Senate. Follow him on Twitter: @jimcubie.