The Obama Administration today announced that Tim Manning will serve as Florida State Executive Director for the Farm Service Agency (FSA) at the USDA.
“Tim Manning has a solid understanding of the challenges and opportunities facing our rural communities and will help build on the Obama Administration’s efforts to rebuild and revitalize rural America,” said Agriculture Secretary Tom Vilsack.
Manning will serve as State Executive Director for his home state’s FSA after acquiring more than thirty years of experience administering farm subsidy programs with the U.S Department of Agriculture. His association with the FSA dates back fourteen years, when he served as Acting State Executive Director for Florida. Subsequently, Manning, served as a Dispute Resolution Coordinator for the FSA where he represented the Farm Service Agency in administrative hearings. In 1997, he worked with the Florida Agricultural Mediation Service to provide mediation to producers in Florida. He went on to serve as the Homeland Security/Emergency Operations Coordinator for the FSA in his state. In that role, he brought together key government agencies to protect the state’s food supply against terrorist attacks. Manning then went onto serve on the Catastrophic Planning Committee to develop an emergency response system in case a category 5 hurricane hit Florida. In 2005, he won the Administrators Award for Outstanding Service in administering disaster relief to Florida’s farmers.
USDA’s Farm Services Agency works to increase economic opportunity and improve the quality of life for rural Americans. Some of the agency’s efforts include facilitating income support, disaster assistance and conservation programs, providing operating loans for the procurement of farm equipment, seed and fertilizer, as well as offering ownership loans to help new and veteran producers purchase a farm. FSA also works to procure various commodities to benefit low-income families through domestic food assistance programs.
The USDA provides leadership on food, agriculture and natural resources and touches the life of every American. Reflecting President Obama’s commitment to expanding economic opportunities in rural America, Agriculture Secretary Tom Vilsack and the USDA are working to enhance availability of broadband, promote the development of renewable energy, to conserve, maintain and improve our natural resources and environment, and promote a sustainable, safe, sufficient and nutritious food supply.
