June 29, 2009 -- A former Lt. Governor of Nebraska and the current Acting Director of the Nebraska Farm Service Agency (FSA) have been appointed to major positions with the U.S. Department of Agriculture, Nebraska’s Senator Ben Nelson announced today.
Maxine Moul, who served as Nelson’s Lt. Governor from 1990 to 1993, was named USDA Rural Development Director for Nebraska and Dan Steinkruger was named Director of the Nebraska FSA.
Nelson, who nominated both, said he was thrilled that the USDA accepted his recommendations. “This is very good news for rural Nebraska and our agriculture producers. Maxine has a deep background in the area of economic development and is one of the most knowledgeable experts there is in Nebraska. Dan’s vast experience and expertise with FSA assures that producers will continue to get the kind of help they need,” said Nelson.
Moul said, "I am looking forward to working again with rural Nebraskans and their communities. The USDA-Rural Development offices in Lincoln, Kearney, North Platte, Scottsbluff, Ainsworth and Norfolk provide great access to the federal government's loans and grants for rural business, housing, utilities and community development programs."
Steinkruger said, ““I look forward to representing the President and USDA in the administration of federal farm programs to Nebraska farmers. We have an excellent team in seventy one field offices at the Farm Service Agency in Nebraska that will continue to provide loans and deliver safety net programs to assist Nebraska agriculture.”
Moul was Nelson’s Lt. Governor from 1990 to 1993 when she left to become Director of the Nebraska Department of Economic Development until 1999. In 1995, she helped form the Partnership for Rural Development and served on its Governance Board, representing the State of Nebraska. She served as President and CEO of the Nebraska Community Foundation formed in 1993. She was elected President Emeritus and retired from the Foundation in January 2006. She was the Democratic candidate for the U.S. House of Representatives for Nebraska’s First District in 2006.
Steinkruger started with the USDA’s Agricultural Stabilization and Conservation Service (ASCS), the predecessor to the Farm Service Agency (FSA) as a Field Reporter with the Lancaster County ASCS in 1977. He then worked as a Program Assistant in the Harlan County ASCS Office until becoming the County Executive Director in Cass County, Nebraska in December, 1979. Dan moved to the Nebraska State ASCS Office in Lincoln in 1993 where he worked as a Program Specialist in Conservation Programs. In 1996, Dan was promoted to the Chief of the Production Compliance Programs Section. Dan served as Acting State FSA Director in 1997 and is presently serving in that capacity in the Obama Administration.
###