Amanda De Jong
On Friday night, the Trump Administration announced two women who grew up on Iowa farms will take over the U.S.D.A.’s top two jobs in Iowa.
President Donald Trump has appointed Amanda De Jong to serve as Iowa State Executive Director of the U.S.D.A.’s Farm Service Agency. DeJong, a native of Holy Cross, Iowa, worked for the U.S.D.A. after graduating from the University of Iowa’s law school. She then served on Senator Chuck Grassley’s capitol hill staff.
De Jong has worked for the Iowa Corn Growers Association since 2011. She will now in charge of the Farm Service Agency office in Des Moines and county offices around the state which manage local implementation of federal farm programs.
Annette Sweeney
Former State Representative Annette Sweeney of Buckeye has been appointed by President Trump to be Iowa Rural Development Director. The agency provides loans and grants to businesses, utilities, health care services and housing developments in rural areas.
Sweeney is a farmer who is the former chair of the agriculture committee in the Iowa House. Sweeney also served on the Trump campaign’s ag advisory committee.