USDA Names Trump Administration Appointees to the California Farm Service Agency State Committee

Davis, Calif. - Jan. 13, 2026 - The USDA Farm Service Agency (FSA) today announced the appointment of five leaders in agriculture to serve on the California USDA Farm Service Agency (FSA) state committee.

Members of the FSA state committee are appointed by Secretary of Agriculture Brooke L. Rollins and, in support of the Trump Administration's Farmers First commitment, members of the FSA state committee are responsible for the oversight of farm programs and county committee operations, resolving program delivery appeals from the agriculture community, maintaining cooperative relations with industry stakeholders and keeping producers informed about current FSA programs.

Each FSA state committee is comprised of three to five members including a designated chairperson. The individuals appointed to serve on this committee for California are:

• Thomas Barcellos, Chair (Porterville) - Barcellos is owner of diversified crop and dairy enterprises and has held multiple leadership roles on numerous agricultural boards.
• Deborah Louise Arnold, Member (Santa Margarita) - Arnold operates a diversified ranch, raising cattle, dry-farmed hay, and winegrapes. She has extensive experience working on large cattle ranches and breeding ranch horses.
• Thomas John Butler, Member (Woodland) - Butler oversees daily management of a family-owned rice and tree nut farming operation established in 1948. He serves as secretary of the Executive Committee and chairman of the Rice Producers Committee for the California Rice Commission.
• Albert Thomas Stehly, Member (Valley Center) - Stehly is a third-generation farmer; owner/operator managing over 500 acres of avocados, citrus, and vineyards, much of it certified organic. He is a longtime leader in the San Diego County Farm Bureau; Board Member for more than 25 years and president from 1998-2000.
• Rose M. Tryon, Member (Crescent City) - Tryon is a fifth-generation farmer raised on a beef, dairy, and potato operation where she continues the family's farming legacy with her husband. She serves as national president of American Agri-Women and past state president of California Women for Agriculture.

"These individuals, selected by Secretary Rollins in partnership with key stakeholders in each state, are held in high regard in the agriculture industry and are entrusted to ensure FSA programs are delivered in a manner consistent with federal farm policy and in the best interest of all agricultural producers in their state," said FSA Administrator Bill Beam. "Their appointment to the FSA state committee is a testament to their standing in the industry and their dedication to the agriculture industry, rural America and President Trump's America First, Farmers First policies."

FSA helps America's farmers, ranchers and forest landowners invest in, improve, protect and expand their agricultural operations through the delivery of agricultural programs for all Americans. FSA implements agricultural policy, administers credit and loan programs, and manages conservation, commodity, disaster recovery and marketing programs through a national network of state and county offices and locally elected county committees. For more information, visit fsa.usda.gov.