By Bill Schmalfeldt, Writer-Editor, FSA Public Affairs

A sizeable crowd turned out on the first hot, muggy afternoon of June to be on hand for the 2008 FSA Administrator Awards for Service to Agriculture.

The bright sunlight shone through the glass ceiling of the Whitten Building patio June 5 as FSA Administrator Teresa Lasseter congratulated the 25 individuals and teams receiving this year's accolades.

"This is one of my favorite duties every year, to be here, to congratulate you, to shake your hands, and to have the chance to tell you, face to face, how much I appreciate everything you do for the agency, for USDA, and for the agricultural producers of America," Lasseter said.

Also on hand were USDA Chief of Staff Dale Moore and USDA Deputy Undersecretary Floyd Gaibler, who thanked the award winners for their dedication.

Gaibler said that agricultural producers may not be aware of all the times FSA employees have to go the extra mile to serve their needs. "They count on you to be there, whether you're in a county office or at the national headquarters here in D.C. And you never fail them," he said.

FSA Associate Administrator for Programs Glen Keppy served as Master of Ceremonies, introducing the teams and individuals honored in each category: Civil Rights Leadership, Excellence in Program Support, Excellence in Leadership and Management, Outstanding Team Accomplishment, Excellence in Achieving Goals and Objectives, Heroism and Emergency Response, and the Newcomer Award.

For supporting workforce diversity through the continued use of the various Student Employment Programs: Lolla Smith, Human Resources Division/Employee Programs Branch.

For supporting the USDA mission of diversity through the County Committee system: the Gooding/Camas County, Idaho, FSA Office Staff and Committee. Including, Marty Beadz, Harold Boggs, Jr., Wesley Fields, Mariann Kramer, Linda Lemmon, Sandra Miller, Jilene Moore and Mike Sabala.

For performance "far exceeding the standards of the position in an understaffed office": April MacDonald, Economic and Policy Analysis (EPAS).

For providing excellent program support to the Natural Resources Conservation Service (NCRS) during the Environmental Quality Incentives Program (EQIP) and Wildlife Habitat Incentives Program (WHIP) signup and planning period: Kathy Modin, Pierce County, Wash., FSA Office.

For superior performance of assigned program duties while assisting the County Executive Director and training of new employees: Pamela Reese, Tioga County, Pa., FSA Office.

For outstanding coordination and technical precision to ensure required budget execution documents were completely processed and distributed to extend FSA and Foreign Agricultural Service (FAS) programs funded by the Commodity Credit Corporation (CCC) as authorized in the 2002 Farm Bill: Nancy Glynn, FSA Office of Budget and Finance, Budget Division.

For dedicated service benefitting the farmers and ranchers of Box Elder County, Utah, and the local and state USDA employees: James Hall, County Executive Director, Box Elder County, Utah.

For exemplary leadership and management skills, resulting in a highly-motivated workforce: Danny Crawford, Alabama FSA State Executive Director.

For demonstrating outstanding skills in leadership and management: Cathy Kascak, EPAS.

For outstanding service in planning and executing the Conservation Reserve Enhancement Program's (CREP) 1-millionth Acre event: the Farm Programs "CREP Team"; John Carter, Lana Nesbitt, Beverly Preston and Cynthia Beringer; and from the Office of External Affairs and Management Support Division; Janet Connelly, Latawnya Dia, Kerry Humphrey, Julie Polt, Eleanor Rollings, Bill Schmalfeldt, Donna Smith and Stevin Westcott.

For producing an efficient and effective reporting process that supports the Agency's oversight goals: The District Director Farm Loan Programs Oversight Team; including Robert Herhenbach, James Bratcher, Gail Wargo, Denise Stukes, Thomas Berg, Erica Robinson, Brad Smith, DianeJo Hiles, Michael Moore and Polly Anderson.

For outstanding efforts in designing and implementing the Direct Loan System/Loan Making: The Direct Loan System/Loan Making Task Force from DAFLP, including; Ray Bartholemew, JoDee Bryant, Georgia Jenness, Kathleen Miller, Tammy Phelps, Sharon Teston, Michael Matthews, Pam Polson and Lisa Reynolds.

For outstanding accomplishment in the successful completion of the FLP Streamlining Initiative: The FLP Streamlining Task Force, including; Niki Chavez, William Cobb, Michael Cumpton, Michael Hinton, Marilyn McMullen, Michael T. Moore, Catherine Quayle, Clarence Ropp, Janet Safian and Gail Wargo.

For exceptional skill in analyzing the guarantee loan interest rates charged to borrowers by guarantee loan program lenders: The Guarantee Loan Interest Rate Analysis Team, EPAS, including; Charles Dodson and Steve Koenig.

For outstanding accomplishment in the management and issuance of handbooks and forms under the Farm Loan Programs Streamlining Initiative: The Forms, Graphics and Records Section and Management Analysis and Directives Section of FSA's Management Services Division, including; Sheri Aldape. Elizabeth Ashton, Vicki Clagett, Angela Coln, Anita Cromwell, Twila Hawkins, Alita Jordan, Erica Robinson, Joanne Shaw and Nicole Steele.

For outstanding accuracy, integrity and consistency in dealing with County Office Workload Reports: The Workload Query Group, Office of Budget and Finance/Budget Division, Administrative Expenses Branch, including; Ray Bartholomew, Gregory Diehl, John Fetters, John Robert McGrath, Danny Razor, Laura Schlote and Richard Steis.

For outstanding accuracy, integrity and consistency in dealing with County Office Workload Reports: The Workload Review Group, , Office of Budget and Finance/Budget Division, Administrative Expenses Branch, including; Rusty Cowan, Margaret Hartman, Donald Henry, Elizabeth Huffman, Barton Linderman, Kimy Nash, Michael Dwayne Oberschmidt, Anne Rickman, Toni Turner and Jesse Mark Warnick.

For exemplary persistence and professionalism in implementing the new Credit Subsidy Calculator 2 re-estimate process: The Credit Subsidy Calculator Implementation Team, Office of Budget and Finance/Budget Division, Programs Branch, Credit Programs Section, including; Anna Leung, William Willer, Chantha Seng, Kam Yeung, Susan Craft, David Erickson, Linda Schmidt, Paula Hartman, Angela Carroll and Loretta Lewis.

For exceptional skills in analyzing Conservation Reserve Program (CRP) budgetary impacts under PAYGO: Alexander Barbarika, EPAS, Natural Resources Analysis Group.

For exceptional skill in analyzing the guarantee loan interest rates charged to borrowers by guarantee loan lenders and in supporting FLP's formulation of regulatory changes: Charles Dotson, EPAS, Farm Loan Analysis.

For creative excellence in designing and implementing the CCC's first Web-based commodity loan redemption process that significantly simplifies existing processes, reduces government and small-business costs, and significantly speeds the marketing of cotton loan collateral: Shannon Fulghem and Julie Floriani, Price Support Division.

For outstanding achievement in the reduction of delinquent dollars outstanding in the state of Texas FLP direct loan portfolio while continuing to reduce the Texas Direct Loan loss rate: The Texas Loan Delinquency Reduction Task Force, including; Lisa Burgay, Kevin Girdner, Fred Greenway, Ricky Grogan, Beth Hoover, Kelly McMillin and Terry Nelson.

For superlative effort permitting the seamless operation of USDA's sugar and honey support programs in 2007: Francina Hentz, EPAS, Dairy and Sweeteners Analysis.

For providing outstanding leadership and service to FSA customers in Vernon County, Wis., during and after disastrous weather conditions: Katherine Lewison, acting County Executive Director, Viroqua County, Wis.

For outstanding contributions toward peanut program improvement and effective public policy: Tiffany Arthur, EPAS, Fibers, Peanuts and Tobacco Analysis.

At the ceremony's conclusion, Administrator Lasseter again acknowledged the accomplishments of this year's award recipients.

"Our founder, Abraham Lincoln, gave USDA a mandate," she said. "That was to reach out to all the people of our great nation. This is something the entire USDA family does every day. This has been a great opportunity for me to celebrate not only our award winners, but the entire FSA family. The work you do each and every day makes me so very proud to be Administrator of the Farm Service Agency."

Recognized for outstanding service in planning and executing the Conservation Reserve Enhancement Program (CREP) celebration of the "1 Million Acres and Beyond" event: (Left to Right) Donna Smith, Janet Connelly, Latawnya Dia, Kerry Humphrey, Bill Schmalfeldt, Julie Polt, Glen Keppy, Teresa Lasseter, John Carter, Lana Nesbit, Beverly Preston, Kent Politsch and Cindy Beringer. (Not pictured: Stevin Westcott)

For excellence in leadership and management, a 2008 Administrator's Award went to Alabama State Executive Director Danny Crawford (center).

For their efforts in producing an efficient and effective reporting process that supports FSA's oversight goals, an Outstanding Team Accomplishment Award went to the FLP Oversight Review team: (Left to Right) Polly Anderson, Thomas Berg, Jr., Gail Wargo, Glen Keppy, Teresa Lasseter, Denise Stukes and James Bratcher. (Not pictured: Bob Herchenbach, Erica Robinson, Brad Smith and DianeJo Hiles.)

A Civil Rights Leadership Award went to the Gooding/Camas County, Idaho, FSA Staff and Committee, represented by Harold Boggs, Jr. (Not pictured: Marty Beadz, Wesley Fields, Marianne Kramer, Linda Lemmon, Sandra Miller, Jilene Moore and Michael Sabala.)

For outstanding accomplishment in the management and issuance of handbooks and forms under the FLP Streamlining Initiative, an Outstanding Team Accomplishment Award was presented to the Forms, Graphics and Records Section and the Management Analysis and Directives Section of FSA's Management Services Division: (Left to Right) Erica Robinson, Angela Coln, Twila Hawkins, Elizabeth Ashton, Glen Keppy, Teresa Lasseter, Nicole Steele, Vicki Clagettt and Joanne Shaw. (Not pictured: Sheri Adalpe, Anita Crowell and Alita Jordan.)

An Excellence in Leadership and Management Award was presented to Box Elder County, Utah, County Executive Director James Hall (center).

For providing outstanding leadership and service to FSA customers during difficult times in Vernon County, Wis., the Heroism and Emergency Response Award was presented to Acting Vernon County, Wis., County Executive Director Katharine Lewison (center).

For their outstanding efforts in designing and implementing the Direct Loan System/Loan Making, which greatly improved the operational efficiency of the Direct Loan Program, an Outstanding Team Accomplishment Award was presented to the Direct Loan System/Loan Making Task Force: (Left to Right) Kathleen Miller, Glen Keppy, Teresa Lasseter, Michael Matthews. (Not pictured: Ray Bartholomew, JoDee Bryant, Georgia Jenness, Tammy Phelps, Sharon Teston, Pam Polson and Lisa Reynolds.)

An Outstanding Team Accomplishment Award was presented the Workload Query Group: (Left to Right: Danny Razor, Glen Keppy, Teresa Lasseter, Bob McGrath. (Not pictured: Ray Bartholomew, Gregory Diehl, John Fetters, Laura Schlote and Richard Steis.)

For outstanding accomplishment in the successful completion of the FLP Streamlining Initiative, an Outstanding Team Accomplishment Award was presented to the FLP Streamlining Task Force: (Left to Right) Gail Wargo, Cathy Quayle, Bill Cobb, Glenn Keppy, Teresa Lasseter, Marilyn McMullen, Michael Cumpton and Michael Hinton. (Not pictured: Niki Chavez, Michael T. Moore, Chuck Ropp and Janet Safian.)

An Outstanding Team Accomplishment Award was presented the Workload Review Group: (Left to Right) Don Henry, Dwayne Oberschmidt, Kimy Hash, Glen Keppy, Teresa Lasseter, Margaret Hartman, Elizabeth Huffman and Anne Rickman. (Not pictured: Rusty Cowan, Bart Linderman, Toni Turner and Jesse Mark Warnick.)

Lolla Smith

April MacDonald

Kathryn Modin

Pamela Reese

Nancy Glynn

Catherine Kascak

Guarantee Loan Interest Rate Analysis Team

Charles Dodson

Steve Koenig

Agnes Leung

William Willer

Chantha Seng

Kam Yeung

Susan Craft

David Erickson

Linda Schmidt

Paula Hartman

Angela Carroll

Cloretta Lewis

Glenn Pfeffer

Scott Royster

Alexander Barbarika

Francina Hentz

Charles Dodson

Julie Floriani

Shannon Fulghem

Lisa Burgay

Kevin Girdner

Fred Greenway

Rickey Grogan

Beth Hoover

Kelly McMillin

Terry Nelson

Tiffany Arthur