Press "Enter" to skip to content

Richard Fordyce selected to oversee Farm Service Agency nationwide

A Missourian and fourth-generation farmer has been selected as administrator of USDA’s Farm Service Agency.

Fordyce

Richard Fordyce will head the agricultural division that administrators farm commodity and disaster programs. He will oversee the agency’s effort to support agricultural production across the country through a network that has offices in 50 states and 2,100 counties.

“Today is a good day for U.S. agriculture and Missouri agriculture. Richard Fordyce has been a friend for many years and an outstanding member of Missouri Farm Bureau,” said Blake Hurst, president of the Missouri Farm Bureau. “In 2015 he received our organization’s highest honor, the Distinguished Service Award. Richard has done an exceptional job in every role in which he has served, and I am sure he will do a great job for America’s farmers through his service as FSA Administrator.”

Fordyce served as a leader in Missouri agriculture for over two decades between the Missouri Farm Bureau and as director of the Missouri Department of Agriculture from 2013-2017, until he was replaced with Chris Chinn by Gov. Eric Greitens. In November 2017, he was nominated by President Donald Trump as Missouri’s executive director of the state FSA.

He is a soybean, corn and cattle farmer from Bethany, Mo., and has served on the Missouri Soybean Council and the National Biodiesel Board. He was also appointed by the U.S. Secretary of Agriculture to serve as one of the Missouri directors on the United Soybean Board and served in that capacity for 11 years.

“As a fourth-generation farmer, Richard brings firsthand knowledge and experience to this role,” U.S. Agriculture Secretary Sonny Perdue said. “I am confident that he will continue to help USDA become the most efficient, effective, customer-focused agency in the federal government as he leads this customer-focused mission area.”