(Washington, D.C., May 5, 2025) – U.S. Secretary of Agriculture Brooke Rollins announced Jacob French is appointed by President Donald Trump to serve as the USDA Rural Development State Director for the state of South Carolina. Director French will implement President Trump’s America First agenda at USDA Rural Development, ensuring the needs of America’s farmers, ranchers, and producers remain a top priority.
“When America’s farming communities prosper, the entire nation thrives. This new group of USDA appointees will ensure President Trump’s America First agenda is a reality in rural areas across the country. I am grateful for the leadership of these new state directors and look forward to their work reorienting the agency to put Farmers First again,” said Secretary Rollins.
"I look forward to serving the citizens of South Carolina, empowering our Rural communities, and building prosperity for the Palmetto State," said Director French.
Jacob French currently serves as the State Director for Rural Development in South Carolina. He previously held positions in Present Trump’s first administration, initially at U.S. Department of Agriculture’s Office of Food Safety and later at U.S. Customer and Border Protection’s Office of Trade Relations. Most recently, Jacob served as the Growth and Outreach Manger for Tyler Technologies in South Carolina, where he worked to improve citizen experience through software solutions for state agencies and local government entities. Jacob holds a B.A. in Political Science from Dickinson College.
State Directors serve as the Chief Executive Officer of USDA Rural Development in the states and territories and are tasked with leading teams to carry out the mission of Rural Development to the benefit of all rural Americans. In conjunction with the guidance and support of the National Office, State Directors are responsible for advancing the key priorities and initiatives of the Presidential Administration, the Secretary of Agriculture and the Deputy Under Secretary for Rural Development. State Directors also provide key leadership to foster a mission-driven, accountable, and high-performing workforce focused on operational excellence, public trust, and responsible stewardship of taxpayer resources.
To learn more about USDA Rural Development’s leadership and programs, view www.rd.usda.gov.
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