A new executive director for the U.S. Department of Agriculture Farm Service Agency in Hawaii and state director in California were recently announced.
Joy Kono was named FSA state executive director for Hawaii, and Maria Gallegos Herrera was named the rural development state director for California, according to a May 19 USDA news release. Kono has more than 30 years managerial and administrative support program experience and lengthy career in Hawaiian agriculture. Herrera was the central California regional director of external affairs for Gov. Gavin Newsom.
"I am thrilled we continue to add state directors to be the face of USDA programs in rural and farm communities," USDA Secretary Tom Vilsack said in the news release. "The Biden-Harris administration is committed to building a better America, and these state directors are critical to accomplishing that."
According to the news release, FSA state executive directors are in charge of overseeing FSA policy and operations in their respective states. These directors are also responsible for developing and sustaining relationships with stakeholders, as well as other agencies and governments. Rural Development state directors fulfill essentially the same functions, but they focus on the support of rural America.
