USDA Names Trump Administration Appointees to the Alabama Farm Service Agency State Committee

MONTGOMERY, Ala. – Alabama Commissioner of Agriculture and Industries Rick Pate is proud to see five outstanding leaders selected to serve on the Alabama USDA Farm Service Agency (FSA) state committee.

“These individuals bring valuable experience and a strong commitment to supporting Alabama agriculture and rural communities,” said Commissioner Pate. “These leaders will ensure our farmers have the support and resources they need at the state and county level.”

Each FSA state committee is comprised of three to five members including a designated chairperson. The individuals appointed to serve on this committee for Alabama are:

• Roy Shepherd (Shep) Morris Sr., Chair (Shorter) - Morris has been actively engaged in agriculture for over 50 years producing cotton, corn, and sesame. He is the current president of Milstead Farm Group Gin.
• Wallace Drury, Member (Greensboro) – Drury is owner and operator of a multi-generational family farm in Hale County, Alabama, producing catfish, cattle, and hay. He manages all aspects of farm operations including financial oversight, land and water resource management, and sustainable production practices.
• William (Billy) D. Hixon, Member (Banks) – Hixon is owner and operator of a fourth-generation 1,500-acre family farm producing beef cattle, poultry, and row crops. He holds a degree in Agribusiness from Abraham Baldwin Agricultural College, with over three decades of experience in diversified farm management.
• Michael D. Reeves, Member (Hartselle) – Reeves is managing partner of a fourth-generation diversified fruit and vegetable operation featuring an on-farm retail market. He oversees production of peaches, strawberries, melons, tomatoes, sweet corn, pumpkins, and other seasonal crops, with direct-to-consumer sales and value-added products.
• Mykel Rae Taylor, Member (Auburn) – Taylor was raised on a cow-calf operation, has lifelong ties to production agriculture and continues to be actively involved in the agricultural community. Her research expertise includes farm management, farmland markets, and agricultural land leasing, with a focus on applied economics.

Members of the FSA state committee are appointed by Secretary of Agriculture Brooke L. Rollins and, in support of the Trump Administration’s Farmers First commitment, members of the FSA state committee are responsible for the oversight of farm programs and county committee operations, resolving program delivery appeals from the agriculture community, maintaining cooperative relations with industry stakeholders and keeping producers informed about current FSA programs.

“These individuals, selected by Secretary Rollins in partnership with key stakeholders in each state, are held in high regard in the agriculture industry and are entrusted to ensure FSA programs are delivered in a manner consistent with federal farm policy and in the best interest of all agricultural producers in their state,” said FSA Administrator Bill Beam. “Their appointment to the FSA state committee is a testament to their standing in the industry and their dedication to the agriculture industry, rural America and President Trump’s America First, Farmers First policies.”

FSA helps America’s farmers, ranchers and forest landowners invest in, improve, protect and expand their agricultural operations through the delivery of agricultural programs for all Americans. FSA implements agricultural policy, administers credit and loan programs, and manages conservation, commodity, disaster recovery and marketing programs through a national network of state and county offices and locally elected county committees. For more information, visit fsa.usda.gov.