The U.S. Department of Agriculture’s Farm Service Agency continues to roll out state-level leadership appointments across the country, with Secretary of Agriculture Brooke L. Rollins naming agricultural producers and industry leaders to Farm Service Agency state committees in multiple regions as part of the Trump Administration’s Farmers First commitment.
Most recently, USDA announced the appointment of five leaders in agriculture to serve on the Nebraska USDA Farm Service Agency state committee, joining similar announcements in states including Oklahoma, North Carolina, California, and New York. Collectively, the appointments reflect a nationwide effort to strengthen oversight of federal farm programs while ensuring local and regional representation from across the agricultural sector.
Members of the FSA state committees are appointed by Secretary Rollins and are responsible for overseeing farm programs and county committee operations, resolving program delivery appeals from the agricultural community, maintaining cooperative relationships with industry stakeholders, and keeping producers informed about current FSA programs. Each FSA state committee is comprised of three to five members, including a designated chairperson.
Nebraska saw five agricultural leaders appointed to its FSA state committee. Scott A. Spilker of Beatrice was named chair and owns and operates a family crop and livestock operation started in 1988. Other members include Crystal Klug of Columbus, office manager for her family feedyard; Brent Robertson of Elsie, who operates a diversified crop and livestock farm in southwest Nebraska; Rylee Wagner of Winnetoon, owner and operator of an agritourism business tied to a family livestock and row-crop operation; and John Walvoord of Waterloo, a third-generation farmer with experience in crop and livestock production.
In California, the appointed committee members include Thomas Barcellos of Porterville, who serves as chair and owns diversified crop and dairy enterprises; Deborah Louise Arnold of Santa Margarita, who operates a diversified ranch producing cattle, dry-farmed hay, and winegrapes; Thomas John Butler of Woodland, who manages a family-owned rice and tree nut operation established in 1948; Albert Thomas Stehly of Valley Center, a third-generation farmer managing more than 500 acres of avocados, citrus, and vineyards; and Rose M. Tryon of Crescent City, a fifth-generation farmer who currently serves as national president of American Agri-Women and previously served as state president of California Women for Agriculture.
California’s announcement followed similar appointments in Oklahoma, where five agricultural leaders were named to the Oklahoma FSA state committee. Gaye Pfeiffer of Mulhall was appointed chair and is co-owner and operator of a registered Angus seedstock and farming operation in Logan County. Other members include Ian Chapman of Ardmore, managing partner of a cattle and sheep ranching operation in Texas and Oklahoma; Terry Jurgensmeyer of Miami, who operates a diversified livestock, poultry, and mushroom enterprise; Ronald Justice of Chickasha, a lifelong Oklahoma agricultural leader with a background in wheat, cotton, cattle, and swine production; and Matt Mueller of Altus, a diversified row-crop farmer focused on no-till practices, cover crops, and prescription-based fertility management.
In North Carolina, five leaders from the state’s agriculture community were also appointed to the FSA State Committee. Jeffrey Claybourne Lee of Benson was named chair and manages tobacco, sweetpotato, and cotton production while employing conservation tillage and precision agriculture practices. Committee members include Steve Leggett Griffin of Washington, president and owner of a diversified farming operation; Joseph Brent Leggett of Nashville, who oversees a diversified row-crop farm producing tobacco, sweetpotatoes, cotton, peanuts, and other crops; Richard Paul Renegar of Harmony, who operates a diversified family farm and serves in leadership roles within county and state Farm Bureau organizations; and Faylene Whitehead Whitaker of Climax, co-founder and operator of a diversified family enterprise spanning crop production, agritourism, and retail operations.
In New York, USDA appointed Lawrence K. Eckhardt of Stephentown as chair of the state committee. Eckhardt owns and manages a diversified agricultural operation and operates a crop management consulting firm. He is joined by Ryan Timothy Fessenden of King Ferry, a seventh-generation farmer and vineyard owner; Barbara J. Hanselman of Bloomville, who manages a diversified dairy operation; Brenden L. Martin of Salamanca, a fourth-generation dairy farmer active in local agricultural organizations; and Joseph P. Shultz of Lowville, owner and operator of a registered Holstein dairy operation.
“These individuals, selected by Secretary Rollins in partnership with key stakeholders in each state, are held in high regard in the agriculture industry and are entrusted to ensure FSA programs are delivered in a manner consistent with federal farm policy and in the best interest of all agricultural producers in their state,” said FSA Administrator Bill Beam. “Their appointment to the FSA state committee is a testament to their standing in the industry and their dedication to the agriculture industry, rural America and President Trump’s America First, Farmers First policies.”
The Farm Service Agency helps America’s farmers, ranchers, and forest landowners invest in, improve, protect, and expand their agricultural operations through the delivery of agricultural programs nationwide. FSA implements agricultural policy, administers credit and loan programs, and manages conservation, commodity, disaster recovery, and marketing programs through a national network of state and county offices and locally elected county committees. More information about FSA programs is available at fsa.usda.gov.
