The appointment continues a long career of public service in Oregon
PORTLAND, Ore., Jan. 24, 2022 — Recently, President Joe Biden announced his intent to appoint Margaret Hoffmann as State Director for USDA Rural Development in Oregon. The announcement includes several regional appointments, including those for U.S. Department of Agriculture’s Farm Service Agency in five states and Rural Development in Ohio.
“A year into this administration, we continue to build an experienced team in our state offices,” said Agriculture Secretary Tom Vilsack. “I have full confidence these individuals will work tirelessly to advance USDA’s mission in their local communities.”
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 in conjunction with the guidance and support of the National Office. 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.
In her role as State Director, Hoffmann will lead a team of 35 specialists delivering a comprehensive suite of more than 60 programs designed to help local people improve the economy and quality of life in rural America. These programs offer loans, grants, loan guarantees, and technical assistance for housing, community facilities, infrastructure, business development, and more across Oregon. More information and contacts can be found at https://www.rd.usda.gov/or.
“Our rural communities continue to demonstrate an immense amount of resilience in the face of many challenges, including rampant wildfires, decreasing water supplies, low-income housing shortages and a lack of access to affordable healthcare,” Hoffmann said. “From Joseph to Brookings, and everywhere in between, I look forward to working with the people we serve throughout rural Oregon to understand how we can leverage the full breadth of Rural Development’s resources to increase and strengthen our rural economies.”
Hoffmann spent the last five years as the Strategic Operations Manager for the Farmers Conservation Alliance, where she worked with irrigation districts to modernize over 50 percent of the irrigation systems in Oregon. Prior to this, Hoffmann served as the Energy Policy Advisor to Governors Kate Brown and John Kitzhaber. In this role, she coordinated with a broad array of stakeholders to facilitate the State’s transition to an economically resilient, lower-carbon future. Hoffmann also coordinated the State’s response to the Obama Administration’s Clean Power Plan to ensure that federal policy would not disrupt the State’s existing carbon reduction programs and grid reliability or significantly increase the cost of energy for ratepayers.
USDA Rural Development provides loans and grants to expand economic opportunities and create jobs in rural areas. This assistance supports infrastructure improvements; business development; housing, community facilities such as schools, public safety, and health care facilities; and high-speed internet access in rural areas. Learn more at www.rd.usda.gov/or.