Philip C. Karsting chosen as new Foreign Agricultural Service Administrator.

Philip C. (Phil) Karsting,  graduate of Blue Hill High School,  the son of Lamera Karsting and the late Dean Karsting of Blue Hill, has been chosen as the new USDA Foreign Agricultural Service Administrator replacing  Suzanne Heinen, the former Administrator for the Foreign Agricultural Service     .  Karsting has been Chief of Staff for Wis. (D) Senator Herb Kohl since 2009.   Karsting is a current resident of Washington D.C.
The Foreign Agricultural Service (FAS) is responsible for collecting, analyzing, and disseminating information about global supply and demand, trade trends, and market opportunities. FAS seeks improved market access for U.S. products; administers export financing and market development programs; provides export services; carries out food aid and market-related technical assistance programs; and provides linkages to world resources and international organizations.
Other changes in the United States department of Agriculture which will begin this Saturday include – Michael Scuse will replace Kathleen Merrigan as Acting Deputy Secretary of Agriculture. Scuse has served as Undersecretary for Farm and Foreign Ag Services and also as a member of the Commodity Credit Corporation Board of Directors. Before he joined the Obama Administration – Scuse served as Delaware’s Secretary of Agriculture and President of the Northeast Association of State Departments of Agriculture.

Changes also include Darci Vetter serving as Acting Undersecretary for Farm and Foreign Ag Services and Suzanne Heinen stepping in as the Acting Deputy Undersecretary for FFAS.  Doug O’Brien will replace Dallas Tonsager as Acting Undersecretary for Rural Development and Ann Mills will replace Harris Sherman starting May 9th as Acting Undersecretary for Natural Resources and Environment.