The USDA Farm Service Agency (FSA) has announced appointees who will serve on the New York USDA Farm Service Agency (FSA) state committee.
Each FSA state committee is comprised of three to five members including a designated chairperson. The individuals appointed to serve on this committee for New York are:
Committee Chair Norman Greig, Red Hook, Dutchess County
Greig operates Greig Farm – a third-generation farm in the Hudson Valley on over 300 acres. The farm specializes in pick your own fruits and vegetables with over 100,000 visitors annually. He has over 15 years of prior service on the NY State Committee and returns now as the State Committee Chair.
Larry Eckhardt – Stephentown, Rensselaer County
Eckhardt and his family operate Kinderhook Creek Farm, a diversified fresh market vegetable, field crop and livestock operation covering 1250 acres. Eckhardt served 4 years on the previous State Committee.
Jill Gould – Pavilion, Wyoming County
Gould and her husband are working on the family organic dairy farm, Har-Go Farms. In addition, Gould started Butter Meat Co., purchasing and processing dairy animals as an alternative and sustainable source of beef.
Julian Mangano – Castorland, Lewis County
Mangano began farming six years ago, establishing Della Terra Farm, a small organic farm focused on sustainability and resiliency in our food system. The farm produces vegetables and cut flowers.
Michael McMahon – Homer, Cortland County
McMahon operates EZ Ares Farm LLC, a sixth-generation farm with 900 head of dairy cattle, operating 2700 acres of land. The farm has received wide recognition and won numerous awards for animal welfare and environmental stewardship.
Members of the FSA state committee are appointed by Secretary of Agriculture Tom Vilsack and are responsible for the oversight of farm programs and county committee operations, resolving program delivery appeals from the agriculture community, maintaining cooperative relations with industry stakeholders, keeping producers informed about FSA programs and operating in a manner consistent with USDA equal opportunity and civil rights policies.
The Farm Service Agency serves farmers, ranchers, foresters, and agricultural partners through the effective, efficient, and equitable delivery of federal agricultural programs. The Agency offers producers a strong safety net through the administration of farm commodity and disaster programs. Additionally, through conservation programs, FSA continues to preserve and protect natural resources and provides credit to agricultural producers who are unable to receive private, commercial credit, including targeted loan funds for beginning, underserved, women and military veterans involved in production agriculture.
USDA touches the lives of all Americans each day in so many positive ways. Under the Biden-Harris Administration, USDA is transforming America’s food system with a greater focus on more resilient local and regional food production, fairer markets for all producers, ensuring access to safe, healthy and nutritious food in all communities, building new markets and streams of income for farmers and producers using climate smart food and forestry practices, making historic investments in infrastructure and clean energy capabilities in rural America, and committing to equity across the Department by removing systemic barriers and building a workforce more representative of America. To learn more, visit usda.gov.
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