With so many potential candidates listed for possibly being chosen USDA Secretary by President-elect Donald Trump, it should come as no surprise that another name has surfaced. There could always be a late change in the selection, contacts note, as there were several individuals being vetted.
The newest possibility is Jimmy Emmons. He currently is senior vice president of climate-smart programs at Trust In Food, Farm Journal’s sustainable agriculture division. The nationally recognized no-till farmer, regenerative rancher and soil-health expert leads Trust In Food’s national programs to accelerate the adoption of conservation agriculture. Jimmy and his wife, Ginger, own and operate Emmons Farm in Leedey, Okla., where they manage 2,000 acres and 300 head of cattle in an integrated row-crop and livestock operation that optimizes water resources, reduces erosion and improves organic material in the soils. He is a public speaker, educator, mentor and advocate for conservation management practices to improve producers’ resiliency to weather, operational efficiency and profitability. Emmons previously served as coordinator for mentoring for the Oklahoma Conservation Commission. Prior to that, he was regional coordinator for USDA’s Farm Production and Conservation, where he supported operational and business functions across the Farm Service Agency (FSA), Natural Resources Conservation Service (NRCS) and Risk Management Agency (RMA). He has also served as president of the Oklahoma Association of Conservation Districts and led fundraising for the National Young Farmers Education Association.