President Joe Biden announced his intent to appoint six U.S. Department of Agriculture (USDA) regional positions including four Farm Service Agency (FSA) State Executive Directors and two Rural Development (RD) State Directors.
“These talented individuals joining USDA will play an integral role in advancing and promoting USDA’s mission by ensuring that we touch the lives of individuals throughout the country,” said Agriculture Secretary Tom Vilsack. “Each of them is a valued addition to our growing team.”
In Colorado, Armando Valdez has been appointed RD State Director for Colorado. Valdez is a native of the San Luis Valley and was raised on a farm and ranch near Capulin, Colorado. Most recently, Valdez worked as an Assistant Professor of Management and the Director of the Health Care Administration Program in the School of Business at Adams State University. He currently serves as a member of the Colorado State University System Board of Governors. During the Obama Administration, Valdez was appointed to Colorado’s FSA Executive Committee. He was appointed as executive chair of the committee in 2012 and served in that role until 2018. Valdez continue to operate the family farm and ranch he was raised on with his wife and children.
RD State Directors serve as the chief executive officer of Rural Development in the states and territories and are tasked with carrying out the mission of rural development to the benefit of everyone in rural America. In conjunction with the guidance and support of the National Office, State Directors are responsible for promoting the mission and strategic goals of Rural Development and provide key leadership to develop and support a productive, diverse, and inclusive state workforce.
Under the Biden-Harris Administration, USDA Rural Development provides loans and grants to help expand economic opportunities, create jobs, and improve the quality of life for millions of Americans in rural areas. This assistance supports infrastructure improvements; business development; housing; community facilities such as schools, public safety and health care; and high-speed internet access in rural, tribal and high-poverty areas. For more information, visit www.rd.usda.gov/co.