12.16.14

Durbin Announces New Chair Of Illinois Farm Service Agency

[WASHINGTON, D.C.] – U.S. Senator Dick Durbin (D-IL) today announced that U.S. Department of Agriculture (USDA) has named Jill Appell of Altona, Illinois to be Chair of the USDA Farm Service Agency (FSA) Illinois State Committee. Ms. Appell farms in Knox County. Ms. Appell replaces Darell Sarff of Chandlerville, Illinois, a Central Illinois grain and vegetable farmer and a past board member of the Illinois Farm Bureau. Durbin first recommended both Ms. Appell and Mr. Sarff for appointment to the FSA Illinois State Committee in February 2009.

“Jill Appell has served in a variety of roles representing Illinois’ farming community, accumulating decades of experience in rural and agricultural issues,” Durbin said. “As Chair of the Illinois Farm Service Agency, Jill has big shoes to fill, and I commend Darell Sarff for his years of service at the helm of this committee. I am confident that Jill will shine in this new leadership position, and I look forward to our continued work together on both national and local agricultural issues.”

Ms. Appell is currently a member of the Advisory Committee for Trade Policy and Negotiations, a position she has held since 2010, and the USDA Agricultural Technical Advisory Committee for Trade of Animals and Animal Products. She is also a past President of the National Pork Producers Council and the Illinois Pork Producers Association. In addition, she previously served as Illinois State Director for Rural Development for the USDA.

The Farm Service Agency aims to stabilize farm income, help farmers conserve land and water resources, provide credit to new or disadvantaged farmers and ranchers, and help farm operations recover from the effects of disaster. The Farm Service Agency uses a unique system under which federal farm programs are administered locally – a grassroots approach gives farmers a much-needed say in how Federal actions affect their communities and their individual operations.