Leadership

 Richard Fordyce

Under Secretary of FPAC

Jared Hagert

Deputy Administrator, Farm Service Agency

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 Steve Peterson

Senior Advisor to USEC, FPAC
 

Bill Beam

Administrator, FSA

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Key Employees / Team Members

Jamie White
Acting Assistant Deputy Administrator

for Farm Programs

Mike Walter

Director, SND

Mary Catherine Cromley

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Kim Graham

Acting Assistant Administrator

Caleb Gilead
Brenda Carlson
Cassie Neusch

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Deputy Administrator for Farm Programs Front Office

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Evelyn Whitesides

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Program Delivery Division Team

Brandon Soldner
Amanda Brosch
Lani Martin
Lenior Simmons
Julie Pena
John Blankenship
Aren Dameron
Erin Gallahan
John Ingle
Alison Lenz
Jeremy Nalder

Tina Nemec
Todd Pfeifer
Sylvia Redd
Jeanne Schmidt
Kerry Sefton
Tracey Smith
Steve Stark
Barry TerHark
Gordon Washburn
Lisa Berry
Andrea Naughton Insley

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Safety Net Division Team

Michael Walter
Jennifer Fiser
Jamie Garriott
Tyler Gilkey

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Additional Groups

Entire FSA Safety Net Division and Program Delivery Division
FPAC Business Center (Information Solutions Division, Economic and Policy Analysis Division)

The U.S. Department of Agriculture's Farm Service Agency (FSA) is being honored in Category 4: Using Innovative Technologies to Deliver Simple, Seamless, and Secure Services for transforming the delivery of emergency financial assistance through the Farmer Bridge Assistance (FBA) Program. Working across the Farm Production and Conservation (FPAC) mission area, Business Center, IT, policy, communications, and local field offices, the team broke down traditional organizational silos to rapidly deliver a digital-first, customer-centered program that made financial relief faster and easier for America's farmers.

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The team designed and deployed a streamlined application process using Login.gov, replacing manual steps with secure digital workflows that enabled near real-time application processing and payment. Farmers could complete applications from their mobile devices, dramatically improving accessibility and reducing administrative burden for both producers and USDA employees. By aligning technology, policy, and operations, the team created a modern service model capable of handling extraordinary demand while maintaining speed and accuracy.

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The program delivered immediate, measurable results. Within 72 hours, more than 30,000 applications were submitted, and digital adoption increased by more than 5,000%. To date, USDA has processed more than 538,000 applications and distributed $9.3 billion in assistance, with many payments reaching farmers within days. The streamlined approach reduced processing delays, improved operational efficiency, and provided timely financial stability to agricultural producers during a period of economic uncertainty, establishing a model for responsive, technology-enabled government service delivery.