Search Site   
News Stories at a Glance
Deere 4440 cab tractor racked up $18,000 at farm retirement auction
Indiana legislature passes bills for ag land purchases, broadband grants
Make spring planting safety plans early to avoid injuries
Michigan soybean grower visits Dubai to showcase U.S. products
Scientists are interested in eclipse effects on crops and livestock
U.S. retail meat demand for pork and beef both decreased in 2023
Iowa one of the few states to see farms increase in 2022 Ag Census
Trade, E15, GREET, tax credits the talk at Commodity Classic
Ohioan travels to Malta as part of US Grains Council trade mission
FFA members learn about Australian culture, agriculture during trip
Timing of Dicamba ruling may cause issues for 2024 planting
   
Archive
Search Archive  
   
Former ODNR division chief to serve as new Ohio FSA director

By CELESTE BAUMGARTNER
Ohio Correspondent

COLUMBUS, Ohio — The Obama Administration has announced that Steven Maurer will serve as Ohio State Executive Director for the Farm Service Agency (FSA) at the USDA.

“I just want to do one heck of a good job and serve the farmers of this state to the best of my ability,” Maurer said of his goals for the position. “That’s the best goal I think anybody can have – take what’s before you and do the best you can with it.”

Maurer has been chief of the Division of Natural Areas and Preserves, Ohio Department of Natural Resources, since 2007. He previously served as state executive director for USDA FSA in Ohio from 1993-2001. Prior to that Maurer was the director of the ODA from 1986-1991.

The USDA’s Farm Service Agency seeks to increase economic opportunity and improve quality of life for rural Americans. It provides federal program benefits to Ohio’s farmers and producers in terms of loans for operating and land purchase, commodity price supports, disaster relief, emergency assistance, conservation and other needed agriculture support efforts. The agency also works to secure various commodities to benefit low-income families through domestic food assistance programs.

The 74 FSA offices in Ohio deals with producers every day and tries to be certain that what the Congress intended and what USDA has proposed is delivered in the most efficient way possible, Maurer said.

“From my experience before, the county office staff does a good job in trying to accomplish that,” he said.

Maurer said his career has been a “fascinating ride.” ODA is perhaps more regulatory in that FSA is focused on farmers primarily and ODA has a lot of regulatory responsibility with Ohio’s agriculture and with food industries. In that respect it is similar to USDA. USDA touches every citizen of this country every day in some measure just because they eat, but also in other ways.

The Department of Natural Resources has in common with ODA and FSA that  ... “we all deal with natural Ohio in one way or another and we all have a responsibility to treat our natural Ohio with as much respect as we can,” he said.

Maurer spent his first years on a farm in Shelby County. The family then moved to Botkins where they operated a fuel business. Maurer spent years delivering fuel from farm to farm.

“I suppose in some ways that was good training for these jobs because I learned early-on that the solutions to agriculture’s problems were as numerous as the stops I had on the route,” he said.

USDA Secretary Tom Vilsack had this to say about Maurer’s appointment:

“Steven Maurer has a solid understanding of the challenges and opportunities facing our rural communities and will help build on the Obama Administration’s efforts to rebuild and revitalize rural America.”

9/17/2009