Administration Taps State Ag Department Leadership

The Trump administration is drawing from the talent within state departments of agriculture. Officials included in the transition from state to federal leadership include:

Ted McKinney: McKinney moved from his role as Director of the Indiana State Department of Agriculture to serve as Under Secretary of Agriculture for Trade and Foreign Agricultural Affairs. The new Director of the Indiana State Department of Agriculture is Bruce Kettler, who previously worked for Beck’s Hybrids as Director of Public Relations.

Bill Northey: Northey has been appointed as USDA Under Secretary for Farm and Foreign Agricultural Service, vacating his role as Secretary of Agriculture of Iowa. Michael Naig has been appointed by the Governor to serve in that capacity. Naig previously served as Deputy Secretary, and before that worked in various agribusiness capacities.

Jamie Clover Adams: Clover Adams, formerly Michigan Department of Agriculture and Rural Development Director, has moved to USDA to serve as an adviser in the office of U.S. Secretary of Agriculture Sonny Perdue. The Michigan Governor has appointed Chief Deputy Director Gordon Wenk to serve as the Director of the Department of Agriculture.

Greg Ibach: Ibach has been appointed Under Secretary of Agriculture for Marketing and Regulatory Programs. He was previously the Nebraska Director of Agriculture. Governor Pete Ricketts announced recently that Steve Wellman will serve as the new Director of the Department of Agriculture.

Cindy Hyde-Smith: Hyde-Smith, formerly Mississippi Commissioner of Agriculture and Commerce, has been appointed to the U.S. Senate to fulfill the seat vacated by the resignation of Thad Cochran. State Representative Andy Gipson has been appointed to head up the Mississippi Commissioner of Agriculture and Commerce.