(KIWA Staff Photo)Washington, D.C. (RI) — The U.S. Senate has confirmed Glen Smith of Atlantic to serve as the U.S. Under Secretary of Agriculture for Rural Development.
Smith will oversee the distribution of USDA loans and grants for housing, health care services, and utilities. He says the agency can play a key role in expanding rural internet access.
Smith says rural prosperity is linked to adding value to raw commodities.
One of Smith’s farms borders the Elite Octane ethanol plant in Atlantic, which he says shows how value-added enterprises pays big dividends.
Smith has served on the Farm Credit Administration’s board of directors since 2017 and was its CEO from mid-2019 through fall 2022. He says USDA officials need to understand the financial technology used by modern lenders.
Smith says technology can help solve some personnel issues as Rural Development manages 50 different financial assistance programs. A recent USDA report shows the agency lost about 20,000 employees last year.
Smith grew up on a farm and graduated from Iowa State University in 1982 with an agricultural business degree. His farming operation now includes 2,000 acres and a beef cow herd. He also founded a farm management company that works in about 30 Iowa counties.
