New directors sought for USDA Maine rural development, FSA
Courtesy / Maine USDA Rural Development
Tim Hobbs, director of Maine USDA Rural Development from 2017 to January of this year, speaks at the ribbon-cutting for a new wastewater system in Presque Isle. The state's congressional delegation is looking for a replacement to serve under the Biden administration.
The state's congressional delegation is looking for candidates to fill state director positions at U.S. Department of Agriculture Rural Development and the Farm Services Agency.
The two positions oversee distribution of hundreds of millions in federal grants and loans a year, as well as programs that support agriculture and food producers in the state.
The jobs are federally appointed. U.S. Sen. Angus King, I-Maine, and U.S. Reps. Chellie Pingree, D-Maine 1st District and Jared Golden, D-Maine 2nd District are accepting applications from Mainers who are interested in filling the posts. After the applications are reviewed King, Pingree and Golden will submit their recommendations to the Biden administration.
The appointees will replace Trump administration directors Tim Hobbs, who was USDA Rural Development State Director, and FSA Executive Director David Lavway. Both left office last month.
"“The United States Department of Agriculture’s work is vital to Maine’s rural communities, helping our small family-owned farms weather emergencies, building out broadband infrastructure, and much more," Gold told Mainebiz. "I know Maine is home to hard-working folks with the knowledge of and experience to make USDA programs work better for our state’s farmers and rural communities and I strongly encourage all qualified applicants to apply.”
The delegation is also looking for five people to fill paid positions on the FSA state committee, which helps guide farmer support programs.
USDA Rural Development provides individual assistance and infrastructure development for energy, housing, telecommunications and more. The position is in Bangor, but involves travel to satellite offices in Lewiston, Presque Isle and Scarborough, the delegation said in a news release.
Hobbs became state director of USDA Rural Development after serving as director of development and grower relations at the Maine Potato Board, a position he held for more than 15 years. In the USDA position, in 2020 he oversaw distribution of $351 million to Maine, some $256.7 million of which went to helping 1,564 Mainers buy homes in rural Maine through the Single Family Housing program.
Of the 2020 USDA Rural Development distributions, $19 million was used as part of a nearly $300 million five-year program to upgrade aging rural waste water systems across the state.
Other USDA money over the past four years was invested in rural broadband; the Electric Loan Program, which helps improve electrical connection in rural areas; construction or improvement, or planning of essential community facilities including health care, schools, libraries and recovery centers; telemedicine equipment in partnership with MaineHealth; and more.
The FSA director works to help Maine farmers seeking loans and other financial assistance, providing support for operating costs, emergencies and other financial needs. The position is primarily in Bangor, with some travel to other offices across the state.
Lavway was appointed state executive director of the FSA in October 2017. He also held the position during the George W. Bush administration, from 2001 to 2009. Like Hobbs, Lavway was also executive director of the Maine Potato Board, and had been deputy commissioner with the state for the Department of Agriculture, Conservation and Forestry, as well as state Administrative and Financial Services Department before his appointment.
Other positions open are the five paid members of the State Committee for the Farm Services Agency, which meets regularly to assist FSA operations in the state by providing input regarding new and existing programs, reviewing appeals and advising on how to best implement FSA programs to benefit Maine farmers.
The deadline for applying for the positions is 5 p.m. Tuesday Feb. 16, and Golden, Pingree and King ask that applicants send a cover letter, resume and at least two relevant references to ME02.jobs@mail.house.gov. Applicants should make clear in their materials for which position or positions they would like to be considered.
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