Jenny Lester Moffitt, who served as undersecretary for marketing and regulatory programs at USDA during the Biden administration, is moving to American Farmland Trust as senior fellow.
“Growing up and working on my family’s farm, I learned first-hand the importance of taking care of the land and the people who farm it, as well as implementing sound farming practices,” Moffitt said in a news release from AFT.
She added that she was “thrilled to be returning to American Farmland Trust and look forward to supporting AFT’s mission to save the land that sustains us, by protecting farmland from development, promoting sound farming practices, and keeping farmers on the land.”
Moffitt was at AFT from 2002 to 2005. She was deputy secretary for policy and then undersecretary at the California Department of Food and Agriculture from 2015 to 2021, “leading strategic initiatives to implement and champion climate-smart agriculture,” AFT said.
“A 5th generation California farmer, Moffitt grew up on her family’s organic walnut farm and processing operation, later serving as the farm’s managing director for 10 years. Moffitt graduated from Brown University in 2022 with a degree in economics, and her first job after graduation was at AFT.
“We are proud and fortunate to have Jenny return to AFT, bringing her many laudable experiences and accomplishments,” said AFT President and CEO John Piotti. “We are so pleased to have someone of Jenny’s caliber on our team supporting the never more critical work of building resilience within America’s farms and ranches and the rural communities they are part of.”
At USDA, AFT said Moffitt ‘oversaw some of the most significant investments in American agriculture, including the implementation of USDA’s Food Systems Transformation Initiative, Competition Initiative, and Organic Transition Initiative.” She started her position Aug. 21.
On her LinkedIn page, Moffitt thanked Biden “for the honor of serving in your administration and the opportunity to contribute to your vision of a stronger, more resilient, and equitable future for all Americans. Your leadership has made a difference.
“And to Thomas Vilsack, Mr. Secretary, thank you for your visionary leadership and unwavering commitment to American agriculture. It has been a privilege to work at USDA and serve on your team on behalf of the American people.”
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