FSA state directors appointed in High Plains states
U.S. Secretary of Agriculture Brooke Rollins May 2 announced the latest slate of presidential appointments for key Farm Service Agency and Rural Development state director roles including in the High Plains region.
“When America’s farming communities prosper, the entire nation thrives. This new group of USDA appointees will ensure President Trump’s America First agenda is a reality in rural areas across the country,” Rollins said. “I am grateful for the leadership of these new state directors and look forward to their work reorienting the agency to put Farmers First again,”
FSA State Directors help implement President Trump’s America First agenda and execute the U.S. Department of Agriculture’s policies in planning, organizing, and administering FSA programs through state offices across the country. RD state directors help affirm the mission of the Trump administration by focusing on finding ways to empower rural America and unleash economic prosperity.
Arkansas
Ty Davis serves as state executive director for the FSA Davis previously served as the state agriculture liaison for U.S. Sen. John Boozman and is a graduate of the University of Central Arkansas.
David Branscum serves as state director for Rural Development. Most recently, Branscum served as director of governmental affairs at the Arkansas Department of Education. He previously served as Rural Development state director during Trump’s first term and is a third-generation cattle rancher.
Colorado
Jerry Sonnenberg serves as state executive director for FSA. In 2022, Sonnenberg was elected as a county commissioner after 16 years of service in the Colorado legislature, eventually as President Pro Tem of the Senate. His background is as a fourth-generation farmer and rancher on his families Centennial Farm.
Sallie Clark serves as the state director for Rural Development. Most recently, Clark served as the senior advisor for government and military engagement in the mayor’s office of community affairs at Colorado Springs, overseeing public policy, military engagement and the Sister Cities International program.
Kansas
David Schemm serves as state executive director for the FSA in Kansas. Schemm formerly served in this position during the first Trump administration and has also served as agricultural advisor for U.S. Sen. Roger Marshall. Schemm works with his wife, Lisa, and son, Clay on their western Kansas farm.
Gimmie Jo Jansonius serves as state director for Rural Development. A sixth-generation rancher actively involved in production agriculture, Jansonius’s family’s business consists of a cow-calf herd, small row crop farm, and direct beef sales enterprise where the seventh generation has also put down roots and returned home to rural America working in agriculture and healthcare.
Minnesota
Kurt Blomgren serves as state executive director for tFSA. He is a fourth-generation family farmer from Butterfield, Minnesota, currently operating a diversified crop and livestock farm with his son Vance and family. In his local community, he is a volunteer firefighter, Sunday school teacher, and mentor to local urban youth with livestock projects at his farm.
Missouri
Ben Baker serves as state director for Rural Development in Missouri. He is a former Missouri state representative with a focus on government efficiency and public service. He lives in Neosho, Missouri, with his wife, Naomi, and their two daughters, living a life grounded in faith, family, and a relentless drive to serve his community.
Montana
Mike Foster serves as state executive director for FSA, a position he held during Trump’s first term. He was born and raised in Townsend, Montana, and currently lives in Bozeman where the FSA state office is located. He and his wife, Mary, a retired elementary teacher, have been married for nearly 46 years and have three grown children and three grandchildren.
Nebraska
Hilary Maricle serves as state executive director for the FSA. Most recently, Hilary served as deputy director for the Nebraska Department of Agriculture. She and her family own and operate Maricle Family Farms.
Neil Moseman serves as state director for Rural Development. Most recently, he served as agriculture and energy policy director for U.S. Sen. Deb Fischer. Moseman is a fifth-generation Nebraskan and a Navy veteran.
Wyoming
Thomas (Tyler) Harrison serves as the state director for Rural Development. Most recently, Harrison served as field representative and veteran’s liaison for U.S. Rep. Harriet Hageman. He previously served over 25 years in the U.S. Coast Guard as an intelligence officer and project manager.
