ANADARKO — A former state Representative has been tasked with leading the United States Department of Agriculture in Oklahoma.
Kenneth Corn, a Democrat from Poteau who served in both the Oklahoma House of Representatives and the Oklahoma State Senate, was chosen as the new State USDA Director for Rural Development by President Joe Biden Jr.
Biden made the announcement Thursday.
Corn, 45, said the post will give him the opportunity to leverage his experience as a state lawmaker and his work as a city manager to oversee rural development in Oklahoma for the USDA. Corn is currently the city manager for the city of Anadarko.
“It’s a position that will focus almost entirely on the things that can be done to help rural Oklahoma succeed,” he said. Corn will oversee the state’s five USDA offices.
He said his primary job will be to let people know what the USDA does and how Oklahomans can access USDA services.
“President Biden wants to rebuild rural Oklahoma,” he said. “He has instructed us to ensure that this federal money is going into rural communities to rebuild their infrastructure, water and sewer, to make sure telecommunications is available, such as high-speed internet in all these communities so they can compete economically.”
Corn said his agency can also assist rural businesses.
He said he would spend his first 100 days meeting with the USDA’s staff to review how services could be improved in the state. Corn said he would meet with stakeholders and other state officials about USDA programs and funding.
“I think it’s always important to meet with the people who are charged with carrying out the mission,” he said. “I want to make sure that every entity that deals with rural communities in this state knows about rural development and how we can be a better partner and leverage programs to make a real difference in these communities.”
Corn said he also wants to work with representatives from the state’s historic Black communities to ensure they have access to federal funds.
“I want to put a face with the USDA,” he said. “I want these communities to feel comfortable enough to talk with us about their needs.”
Corn will begin his duties March 14.