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

Warwick, R.I. - Jan. 14, 2026 - The USDA Farm Service Agency (FSA) today announced the appointment of five leaders in agriculture to serve on the Rhode Island 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 Rhode Island are:

Kevin Breene, Chair (West Greenwich) - Breene operates a dairy farm in West Greenwich, Rhode Island. He earned an associate degree in animal science from the University of Connecticut.

Kevin Bouthillette, Member (Smithfield) - Bouthillette operates a Black Angus livestock operation with a farm store and e-commerce division.

Vincent J. Confreda, Member (Warwick) - Confreda owns and operates one of Rhode Island's oldest and largest commercial vegetable farms that recently expanded to include an apple orchard. Confreda and his family oversee farm operations including managing greenhouses, customer orders and employees.

Matthew Crudale, Member (South Kingstown) - Crudale oversees the daily operations of a retail and wholesale grower/retail garden center. He manages budgets, plant buying, and staff members. He previously worked on a turkey operation where he was responsible for livestock care and assisted with slaughter facility operations and crop maintenance.

Kyle Hess, Member (Bristol) - Hess manages a 5-acre oyster farm that produces more than 200,000 oysters annually with a team of four employees.

"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.