Greeting to FSA Employees from Administrator Jonathan Coppess

Jonathan Coppess was appointed to serve as Administrator of the Farm Service Agency (FSA) in July 2009. He previously served as the Deputy Administrator for Farm Programs at the agency.

Prior to joining FSA, Coppess worked for U.S. Senator Ben Nelson as his Legislative Assistant for Agriculture, Energy and Environment. In this capacity, he advised Senator Nelson, a member of the Senate Committee on Agriculture, Nutrition, and Forestry, on agricultural issues and worked extensively on the 2008 Farm Bill legislation. Coppess also helped formulate policy on biofuels, rural development, energy, environmental and trade issues.

Before moving to Washington to pursue a career in agricultural policy, Coppess practiced law in Chicago for several years as a commercial litigator for Freeborn & Peters LLP. Prior to attending law school, he worked at Archer Daniels Midland as a Grain Merchandiser. Coppess was responsible for commodity purchasing, processed-product sales, and related hedging activities utilizing the Chicago Board of Trade.

Coppess grew up on his family's corn and soybean farm, located in Darke County, Ohio, near Union City. He maintains an interest in the seven-generation family farm that his father and brother continue to operate. Coppess resides in Washington, D.C., with his wife Susan and daughter Abigail. He earned a J.D. with honors from the George Washington University Law School in Washington, D.C., and received a Bachelor's degree in business from Miami University in Oxford, Ohio. He has been admitted to the bar in both the State of Illinois and the District of Columbia.

Greeting to FSA Employees from Administrator Jonathan Coppess

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