Source: USDA, 8/7/14

U.S. Secretary of Agriculture Tom Vilsack today made the following statement on the retirement of USDA Farm Service Agency Administrator Juan M. Garcia:

"Juan's hard work and sound leadership have helped to create new opportunities and achieve record results for America's farmers and ranchers, including the 2014 Farm Bill disaster assistance programs stood up in record time that have provided relief to thousands of producers as they rebuild in the face of natural disasters. Juan's work will live on through, among other things, the signature microloan program, which debuted in 2013, and today has provided more than $150 million in credit through more than 8,000 loans to small farmers and ranchers. I thank Juan for his more than 36 years of dedicated service to rural America, and wish him all the best in his future endeavors."