AMARILLO, Texas (December 5, 2014) – The Texas Wheat Producers Board and Association selected Juan Garcia, former United States Department of Agriculture Farm Service Agency (FSA) Administrator, as the 2014 Wheat Man of the Year.
The award was presented during the Texas Commodity Symposium’s annual reception held the evening of Tuesday, Dec. 2 in Amarillo, Texas. This award is one of the highest honors given by the board and association.
Several state commodity groups’ producer representatives and state agribusinesses were present to applaud Garcia and personally thank him for his service on both a state and national level. Among the guests present were Texas FSA State Executive Director Judith Canales and Texas Agriculture Commissioner-Elect Sid Miller.
After serving 37 years with the FSA, Garcia announced his retirement at the beginning of August 2014. Garcia plans to return back to his home state of Texas.
Even while serving in Washington, D.C., Garcia was committed to Texas agricultural producers. His exemplary ability to move ideas and people forward coupled with a finesse in working across agency lines, provided services and programs in favor of Texas growers.
Garcia’s service was critical to mitigate the 2011-2012 drought by contributing to the implementation of 2014 Farm Bill disaster assistance programs in record time providing credit and loans to small farmers and ranchers.
Selected to serve as FSA administrator in July 2012, Garcia previously served as deputy administrator for farm programs. He also served as state executive director for Texas and as the agricultural program manager (APM) for the Texas FSA program. Prior to his selection as the APM, Garcia worked as a district director and served earlier in his career as a county executive director.
Garcia is a three-time recipient of the FSA Administrator’s Award for Service to Agriculture. A native of Lyford, Texas, Garcia was raised on his family’s 500-acre farm. He received a Bachelor of Science Degree in Animal Science from Texas A&M University-Kingsville and was recognized as the College of Agriculture’s 2010 Hall of Honors Alumnus. Garcia and his wife, Belinda, have three grown children.
The Texas Wheat Producers Board is a statewide board funded by a voluntary two cent per bushel checkoff program. Checkoff funds are used for research, market development and education to further the wheat industry in Texas and support the profitability of wheat producers. The Texas Wheat Producers Association is a voluntary membership organization of wheat producers in Texas. The association provides growers a concentrated, organized voice in political matters affecting the production and marketing of their crops. For more information, visit http://www.texaswheat.org.
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