When I walked back into the Indiana Farm Service Agency (FSA) State Office on April 11, 2022, it really did feel like home.
Hello, my name is Julia Wickard, and I am blessed and honored to be serving as the State Executive Director of the U.S. Department of Agriculture (USDA), Indiana Farm Service Agency. I served in this role from August 2009 to January 2017 and have been given the opportunity to return to the agency I grew to love; to work with the best public servants in America – FSA employees; and to serve all of you – the American farmer.
I live on our family’s homesteaded family farm in eastern Hancock County where we raise Registered Angus cattle and Registered Boer goats. I am thankful to work in agriculture every day and return to the farm every night. This balance keeps me grounded and allows me to view the issues as a policymaker, while thinking about the practicality as a producer.
Agriculture is confronted with challenges every day. As farmers, you deal with ever-changing weather patterns, the instability of markets, supply-chain disruptions, and the ebb and flow of farm programs which change as new farm policy is enacted at the state and national levels.
For all of this, I want to say thank you for all you do to manage through these issues, while consistently feeding and fueling the United States of American and our global partners.
By 2050, 70 percent more food will be needed to feed our growing population. We know that agriculture is the single largest employer in the world with 17 percent of the civilian workforce involved in some facet of American agriculture. We have 2.1 million farms across America on more than 914 million acres, with 94,000 farmers in Indiana who care for nearly 15 million acres of farmland. Year-in and year-out, as an American farmer, you feed 155 people.
All of these numbers lead to partnerships, and one of the most unique partnerships in America is that between farmers and the USDA FSA. The relationship you have with your local FSA office and the county office staff is one of trust and loyalty. The programs offered by FSA, authorized by Congress, provide a safety net through the administration of farm commodity, conservation, farm loan, and disaster programs. Our offices have and always will stand ready to serve you.
I am glad to be back home at FSA and to serve Indiana agriculture at the federal level. At any time, if you have questions or if I can be of assistance to you, please email me at julia.wickard@usda.gov.
