Mike Schmidt was selected to serve as the Deputy Administrator for Farm Programs for the Farm Service Agency in March 2013. In this role, Schmidt oversees all FSA Farm Programs under the Production Emergencies and Compliance Division, Conservation and Environmental Programs Division and Price Support Division.

Prior to joining FSA, Schmidt served as acting Chief of Staff and Senior Advisor in USDA’s Marketing and Regulatory Programs mission area. He also spent a year as acting Chief of Staff for the USDA Grain Inspection Packers and Stockyards Administration (GIPSA).

Before coming to USDA, Schmidt worked seven years on Capitol Hill in various capacities, including Legislative Assistant and Senior Legislative Assistant for Senator Russ Feingold, where he advised the Senator on agriculture, telecommunications, transportation and science issues.In 2004, Schmidt was awarded the Congressional Science Fellowship sponsored by the American Society of Agronomy, Crop Science Society of America, and Soil Science Society of America in the Office of Senator Charles Schumer, where he was the Legislative Assistant for agriculture.

Schmidt received his undergraduate degrees in Environmental Science and Biology from Virginia Tech and a Master's of Science degree in Public Understanding of Environmental Change from the University College London.

He and his wife, Elizabeth, currently reside in Northern Virginia.