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The new FSA Administrator talks

On Wednesday, U.S. AgricultureSecretary Tom Vilsack announced the appointment of Doug Caruso to be Administrator of the Farm Service Agency. Caruso had served as Executive Director of the Wisconsin FSA for eight years during the Clinton Administration. When the administration changed in 2001, he left FSA to become the CEO ofWisconsin Farmers Union Specialty Cheese. He welcomes the opportunity to return to government service. “I recognize how critically important the programs of the USDA and the Farm Service Agency are to farmers, to rural landowners and the citizens of rural communities that depend upon theprosperity of agriculture for the prosperity of their communities.”

Caruso returns to an agency which has gone through a number of changes in the eight years he was gone. He says the agency and the programs it offers has always changed and evolved over the years tomeet the current demands yet the purpose remains the same, “To use the tools that Congress creates as best as possible to try to better the lives of rural Americans.” Caruso was with the FSA when the Freedom to Farm Act was implemented in 1995, he describes it as “One of thoseperiodic evolutions of farm programs.” Freedom to Farm did represent some significant changes in policy and they worked through those much like they will work through the changes in the 2008 Farm Bill. He would not speculate on what he sees as the biggest challenge in implementing the farm billuntil he gets to Washington and becomes more familiar with the bill. He is quick to point out his job is to facilitate the programs as the Obama Administration sees fit. “I wasn’t elected to anything, Barack Obama was elected by the people of America to lead our country and set theagenda.” He adds, “In the end, he’s the one who decides and we implement.”

The new Administrator has a couple of very powerful friends in Washington, House Appropriations Committee Chair, Dave Obey and Senate Ag Appropriations Subcommittee Chair, Herb Kohl.”It’s certainly a benefit to me to know those two individuals; they are tremendous assets to our country as a whole and to agriculture.” Caruso says he does not think he would have received the FSA appointment were it not for the two Wisconsin Democrats. He speaks highly of the two leadersand seeks “to emulate their commitment to doing the very best for the people they serve.” He knows there will be times when there may be differences between Congress and the Obama Administration which he represents, “It will be good that we have a relationship and a mutual respect, Ithink that will enable us to work together for the common good.”

With this appointment the next step is the naming of state FSA directors, Caruso says that process is moving forward. There is a large team of people that has been put together by the ObamaAdministration to screen and select people for positions. “Those are appointments that will be made by Secretary Vilsack not by me as Administrator.” Caruso does not know when that might happen but expects it will be in the next month or so.