WASHINGTON, Aug. 7, 2014— USDA’s Farm Service Agency (FSA) Administrator Juan Garcia is retiring after 37 years with USDA, the agency announced today.
Garcia’s departure falls within a critical time at FSA, when multiple programs are being developed after passage of the 2014 Farm Bill. However, Secretary of Agriculture Tom Vilsack said Garcia’s work contributed to the implementation of 2014 Farm Bill disaster assistance programs in record time.
“Juan's work will live on through, among other things, the signature microloan program, which debuted in 2013, and today has provided more than $150 million in credit through more than 8,000 loans to small farmers and ranchers,” Vilsack said. “I thank Juan for his more than 36 years of dedicated service to rural America, and wish him all the best in his future endeavors."
A USDA spokesperson said Garcia’s retirement will become effective once a new FSA Administrator is chosen.
Garcia was selected to serve as Administrator of FSA in July 2012. He previously served as Deputy Administrator for Farm Programs. He also served as State Executive Director for Texas and as the Agricultural Program Manager (APM) for the Farm Service Agency in Texas. Prior to his selection as the APM, Garcia worked as a District Director and served earlier in his career as County Executive Director.
Garcia is a three-time recipient of the FSA Administrator’s Award for Service to Agriculture.
A native of Lyford, Texas, Garcia was raised on his family’s 500-acre farm. He received a Bachelor of Science Degree in Animal Science from Texas A&I in Kingsville (now Texas A&M University-Kingsville) and was recognized as the College of Agriculture’s 2010 Hall of Honors Alumnus. Garcia and his wife, Belinda, have three grown children.
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