Acting Officers at the USDA

After Congress certified the 2020 election, the Trump administration asked all of its political appointees to submit resignation letters by Inauguration Day. That same day, Agriculture Secretary Perdue issued a memo designating the following individuals as acting officers in their respective positions:

• Jason Hafemeister, Acting Deputy Under Secretary for Trade and Foreign Agricultural Affairs (TFAA)

• Daniel Whitley, Acting Administrator, Foreign Agricultural Service (FAS)

• Kevin Norton, Acting Deputy Under Secretary for Farm Production and Conservation (FPAC)
• Steve Peterson, Acting Administrator, Farm Service Agency (FSA)
• Richard Flournoy, Acting Administrator, Risk Management Agency (RMA)
• Terry Cosby, Acting Chief, Natural Resources Conservation Service (NRCS)

• Tim English, Acting Deputy Under Secretary for Food, Nutrition and Consumer Services (FNCS)
• Cindy Long, Acting Administrator, Food and Nutrition Service (FNS)

• Paul Kiecker, Acting Deputy Under Secretary for Food Safety (FS)
• Terri Nintemann, Acting Administrator, Food Safety and Inspection Service (FSIS)

• Bruce Summers, Acting Deputy Under Secretary for Marketing and Regulatory Programs (MRP)
• Erin Morris, Acting Administrator, Agricultural Marketing Service (AMS)

• Chris French, Acting Deputy Under Secretary for National Resources and Environment (NRE)

• Angilla Denton, Acting Deputy Under Secretary for Rural Development (RD)
• Mark Brodziski, Acting Administrator, Rural Business-Cooperative Service (RBS)
• Chad Parker, Acting Administrator, Rural Housing Service (RHS)
• Chris McLean, Acting Administrator, Rural Utilities Service (RUS)

• Hubert Hamer Jr., Acting Under Secretary for Research, Education, and Economics (REE)
• Kevin Barnes, Acting Administrator, National Agricultural Statistics Service (NASS)

• Ted Gutman, Acting Deputy Assistant Secretary for Civil Rights (OASCR)

• Christopher Needham, Acting Deputy Assistant Secretary for Congressional Relations (OCR)

• Brian Mizoguchi, Acting Principal Deputy General Counsel (OGC)

• Mary Pletcher Rice, Acting Deputy Assistant Secretary for Administration (ASA)

• Lynn Moaney, Acting Principal Deputy Chief Financial Officer, Office of the Chief Financial Officer (OCFO)

• Brian Mabry, Acting Director, Office of Communications (OC)

• Adrian Lindsey, Acting Director, Office of the Executive Secretariat (OES)

• Jacqueline Davis-Slay, Acting Director, Office of Partnerships and Public Engagement (OPPE)

• Linda Cronin, Acting Director, Office of Tribal Relations (OTR)

OFW will continue to track information related to the 2020 presidential transition. Please reach out to us if you have any questions.