ST. PAUL – An Okabena native has been appointed Farm Service Agency state executive director for Minnesota by President Joe Biden. The appointment is effective immediately.
Whitney Place was named to the position earlier this week.
It was one of eight U.S. Department of Agriculture regional positions announced. The list includes five Farm Service Agency state executive directors and three rural development state directors.
Place has been with the Minnesota Department of Agriculture since 2012, serving in multiple capacities. In her new position she will oversee operations and agriculture policy implementation in Minnesota.
Place most recently was the MDA’s assistant commissioner. Previously she had worked for MDA in the roles of director of legislative affairs, assistant to the commissioner, and project coordinator for the Minnesota Agricultural Water Quality certification program.
The Heron Lake-Okabena graduate earned a B.S. in Applied Plant Science and an M.S. in Science, Technology and Environmental Policy from the University of Minnesota.
State executive directors oversee Farm Service Agency operations and agricultural policy implementation in the state.
Each state executive director works with the state committee to administer FSA programs and county office operations, develop and maintains stakeholder relationships with customers and other agencies and governments.
Senator Tina Smith tweeted about Place’s appointment to the position: