President Joe Biden intends to appoint nine U.S. Department of Agriculture (USDA) regional positions, including four Farm Service Agency (FSA) and five Rural Development (RD) state directors.
Agriculture Secretary Tom Vilsack said in a Dec. 17 USDA press release that the directors will add to the experienced, dedicated and growing team at the department.
“As USDA continues to work toward improving the lives of all Americans, we welcome these talented individuals who will each play a key role in advancing that shared mission,” Vilsack said in the release.
The four appointees to the FSA are Arkansas State Executive Director Doris Washington, Illinois State Executive Director Scott Halpin, Maine State Executive Director Sherry Hamel and Texas State Executive Director Benancio Cano, Jr., according to the release.
The FSA state directors will oversee operations and agricultural policy implementation, the release said. They will work “with the state committee to administer FSA programs and county office operations” and nurture stakeholder relationships.
Those appointed to RD are Delaware/Maryland State Director David Baker, Illinois State Director Betsy Londrigan, New York State Director Brian Murray, Tennessee State Director Arlisa Armstrong and Nebraska State Director Kate Bolz, according to the release.
The RD state directors will serve as chief executive officers in their region, responsible for promoting the strategic goals of RD and providing key leadership to support the state workforce, the release said. They will work in conjunction with the National Office.
