Cayuga County farmer Ryan Fessenden has been appointed by the Trump administration to serve on the U.S. Department of Agriculture’s New York Farm Service Agency state committee.
Fessenden, whose family owns Fessenden Dairy in King Ferry, a farm operating in the county for more than 160 years, is one of five members named to the committee. He graduated from Cornell University in 2012 and has pursued his own agricultural career, becoming owner and operator of Lake Road Vineyards in 2021. He also serves on the New York State Wine Grape Growers board.
Other committee members include Lawrence Eckhardt of Stephentown, Barbara Hanselman of Bloomville, Brenden Martin of Salamanca, and Joseph Shultz of Lowville. Eckhardt, who operates a farm producing crops and beef cattle, has been designated chair of the committee.
Members are appointed by U.S. Agriculture Secretary Brooke Rollins. According to the USDA, the committee oversees farm programs and county operations, resolves program delivery appeals, maintains relationships with stakeholders, and informs producers about Farm Service Agency programs.
Bill Beam, administrator of the U.S. Farm Service Agency, praised the appointees, saying they are well-respected in the agriculture industry. He added that their appointments reflect their dedication to agriculture, rural America, and the administration’s “America First, Farmers First” policies.
More information on the Farm Service Agency is available at fsa.usda.gov.
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