The Agriculture Department announced senior appointments and promotions across the agency, including a pick for a key anti-hunger role. 

Cindy Long will serve as deputy undersecretary for USDA’s food, nutrition and consumer services, after most recently working as the administrator of the department’s Food and Nutrition Service. Long is filling the role that Stacy Dean held since 2021 and announced she would vacate last month. 

Dean oversaw the Biden administration’s update of the Thrifty Food Plan that increased SNAP benefits, angering congressional Republicans. President Joe Biden had nominated Dean twice as the agency’s undersecretary for food, nutrition and consumer services, but the Senate returned her nomination both times. 

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Before her role as FNS administrator, Long worked as deputy administrator for Child Nutrition Programs where she led the implementation of the Healthy, Hunger Free Kids Act, according to a USDA release. She has also focused on building stronger supply chains that help new producers enter the market, and connect schools to a range of healthy foods and meal sources. 

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USDA also announced that Eric Deeble has been promoted to deputy undersecretary for marketing and regulatory programs, after serving as the agency’s deputy assistant secretary for the Office of Congressional Relations. Deeble is an alum of the National Sustainable Agriculture Coalition and former senior policy adviser for Sen. Kirsten Gillibrand, D-N.Y.   

Eric DeebleEric Deeble, newly promoted deputy undersecretary for marketing and regulatory programs
Sean Babington has also been promoted to deputy chief of staff in the Office of the Secretary after serving as senior climate adviser in the office since 2021. In his previous role he helped further the Biden administration’s climate agenda and created “value and economic opportunity for farmers, ranchers and private forestland owners.” 

USDA also named two new appointments to state Rural Development offices. Andrew Dinsmore will join the agency as the Maryland and Delaware state director for Rural Development after 14 years working in the office of Sen. Chris Coons, D-Del. 

Pam Monetti has been appointed to Illinois state director for Rural Development after working as a public relations marketing specialist for nine years at Globe Life Insurance Company. 

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