Brooke Appleton, an alumnus from the first Trump administration who has been vice president of public policy for the National Corn Growers Association over the past six years, has been appointed USDA's deputy undersecretary for farm production and conservation, according to a USDA source familiar with her hiring.

She will support Richard Fordyce, who has been nominated to be USDA undersecretary for farm production and conservation. Fordyce, whose nomination must be confirmed by the Senate, is a Missouri farmer who ran USDA’s Farm Service Agency during the first Trump administration. 

Fordyce and Appleton would oversee the Farm Service Agency as well as the Risk Management Agency and Natural Resources Conservation Service. 

Appleton served as chief of staff to the deputy agriculture secretary for over a year during the first Trump administration.

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Appleton has worked for NCGA for nearly 9 years, including two years as director of public policy and political strategy before her service at USDA. She is currently responsible for NCGA's transportation and conservation policy areas and coordinates the organization's political action committee events. 

She also worked at the National Association of Wheat Growers for two years as director of government affairs for risk management. 

Beginning her career on Capitol Hill, Appleton was a legislative assistant in the office of then-House Ag Committee member Sam Graves, R-Mo., covering agriculture, trade, environment and immigration issue areas. Appleton also was a professional staff member on the House Small Business Committee, supporting then-Chairman Graves on agriculture and environment issues. 

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