NEWS
Farm Service Agency
Public Affairs Staff
1400 Independence Ave SW
Stop 0506, Room 3624-South
Washington, D.C. 20250-0506
Release No. 1401.07
Latawnya Dia (202) 720-7962
HOLMES NAMED STATE EXECUTIVE DIRECTOR FOR GEORGIA
WASHINGTON, Jan. 5, 2007 - U.S. Department of Agriculture
Farm Service Agency (FSA) Administrator Teresa Lasseter
today announced the appointment of Susan Dykes Holmes to
serve as FSA state executive director for Georgia.
"Susan Holmes is a seventh generation Jasper County
cotton and dairy farmer with a love for Georgia agriculture
and rural America," said Lasseter. "She has been
a community leader since her early days as school teacher
and postmaster. We are excited to have her step into the
role as state executive director," Lasseter said.
Holmes is serving her third term as mayor of Monticello,
Ga. Holmes is the first female elected mayor of the central
Georgia city. During her tenure, Monticello became one of
the first ten Better Hometown Cities in the state, one of
the first five Cities of Excellence and a City of Ethics.
The downtown underwent extensive restoration and was placed
on the National Register of Historic Places. Furthermore,
the city's tax base increased by 99 percent in the last
ten years.
Georgia Governor Sonny Perdue appointed Holmes as vice chair
of the Rural Development Council and recently appointed
her to the Georgia Municipal Association. The association
represents more than 600 Georgia cities. She is on the board
of the Northeast Georgia Regional Development Center, the
Georgia Academy of Economic Development, the Carl Vinson
Institute of Government Training Board, Leadership Jasper,
Griffin Technical College Foundation and Monticello Downtown
Development Authority. She is chair of the Jasper County
Board of Health and recently became a member of the steering
committee for Georgia Perimeter College Newton County campus.
Holmes also served on the board of directors of Piedmont
Academy and the Jasper County Zoning Board, Jasper Memorial
Hospital Board, the Jasper County Library Board and the
Georgia Trust for Historic Preservation. The Chamber of
Commerce selected Holmes as Monticello-Jasper County Citizen
of the Year; Georgia Trend Magazine named her one of the
100 Most Influential Georgians and the Girls Scout Council
picked her as one of five most outstanding women in Middle
Georgia.
FSA ensures the well-being of American agriculture, the
environment and the American public through efficient and
equitable administration of numerous farm programs. FSA's
farm programs include commodity programs; farm ownership,
operating and emergency loans; conservation and environmental
programs; emergency and disaster assistance; domestic and
international food assistance and international export credit
programs.
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