The USDA Farm Service Agency (FSA) announced\u00a0the appointment of\u00a0five\u00a0leaders in agriculture to\u00a0serve on the\u00a0Texas\u00a0USDA FSA state committee.<\/p>\n
Members of the FSA state committee are appointed by U.S. Secretary of Agriculture\u00a0Brooke Rollins. They are\u00a0responsible for\u00a0the oversight of farm programs and county committee operations, resolving program delivery appeals from the agriculture community, maintaining cooperative relations with industry stakeholders\u00a0and\u00a0keeping producers informed about\u00a0current\u00a0FSA programs.<\/p>\n
Each FSA state committee is\u00a0comprised\u00a0of three to five members including a designated chairperson. The individuals appointed to serve on this committee for\u00a0Texas\u00a0are:<\/p>\n
John\u00a0Malazzo,\u00a0Chair\u00a0(Caldwell)
Malazzo\u00a0is a farmer and rancher who grows cotton, corn, feeder\u00a0cattle and replacement heifers. He brings\u00a0to this\u00a0appointment\u00a0decades of leadership experience on agricultural boards and committees, including service with Capital Farm Credit, Producers Cooperative and Texas Southwestern Cattle Raisers Association, along with recognition for conservation and cattle breeding excellence.<\/p>\n
Scott Born,\u00a0Member\u00a0(Ferris)
Born is a row crop farmer who has been growing wheat, corn, cotton and sunflowers in Ellis County for more than 30 years. He brings extensive experience in diversified crop production along with leadership as\u00a0vice\u00a0chairman\u00a0of the Texas Wheat Producers Board and representation on national wheat advocacy boards, supported by a strong background in community service.\u00a0He has also served in numerous roles with Ellis County Farm Bureau.<\/p>\n
Jody\u00a0Brown,\u00a0Member\u00a0(Beeville)
Brown is a partner and co\u2011manager of a family ranching operation where she oversees cow-calf production, herd health, pasture improvement, wildlife management and equine care. She also manages accounting, budgeting, purchasing, payroll and cattle\u2011handling activities for a local livestock enterprise and serves as a managing partner for\u00a0additional\u00a0farming and ranching operations in West Texas, consulting on corn, cotton, wheat,and hay production. Her background includes more than a decade of leadership in Bee County 4\u2011H and experience negotiating land and lease agreements across multiple counties.<\/p>\n
Kody Carson, Member\u00a0(Olton)
Carson is a diversified crop and livestock producer with experience managing grain, cotton, silage and cattle operations. He holds graduate and undergraduate degrees in agricultural economics and agribusiness and has served in\u00a0numerous\u00a0agricultural leadership roles, including\u00a0chairman\u00a0of the National Grain Sorghum Producers. His background includes involvement in national policy development, testimony before Congress,\u00a0participation in agricultural leadership programs,\u00a0and he has earned\u00a0several industry awards.<\/p>\n
Erick Richards,\u00a0Member\u00a0(Stamford)
Richards is a row crop and livestock producer farming dryland cotton, dryland wheat and sesame while managing\u00a0a\u00a0cow-calf operation. He has more than 30 years of experience in crop and cattle production, equipment management and leadership on local agricultural boards.<\/p>\n
\u201cThese 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,\u201d FSA Administrator Bill Beam said. \u201cTheir appointment to the FSA state committee is a testament to their standing in the\u00a0industry and their dedication to the agriculture industry, rural America and President Trump\u2019s America First, Farmers First policies.\u201d<\/p>\n
FSA helps America\u2019s farmers, ranchers and forest landowners invest in, improve,\u00a0protect\u00a0and expand their agricultural operations through the delivery of agricultural programs for all Americans.<\/p>\n
FSA implements agricultural policy, administers credit and loan programs and manages conservation, commodity, disaster\u00a0recovery\u00a0and marketing programs through\u00a0a national network of state and county offices and locally elected county committees.<\/p>\n