U.S. Secretary of Agriculture Sonny Perdue swore in Dr. J. Scott Angle as the Director of the National Institute of Food and Agriculture (NIFA) at the U.S. Department of Agriculture (USDA) on Monday, Oct. 30. President Trump appointed Angle for a six-year term at the agency on Aug. 31.

“Dr. Angle has more than 35 years of experience in scientific research and administration, and I am confident that he will move NIFA forward in many ways,” said Chavonda Jacobs-Young, USDA’s Acting Under Secretary for Research, Education, and Economics. “His academic track record of providing practical solutions to local, regional and national challenges, as well as his globally focused experience, will help NIFA as it supports the science required to help U.S. agriculture and rural communities achieve sustainable economic prosperity.”

Angle most recently served as the president and CEO of the International Fertilizer Development Center, an organization that helps agriculture in developing countries use fertilizer and other technologies. Scott’s resume includes 10 years as Dean of the College of Agricultural and Environmental Sciences at the University of Georgia and a long academic and administrative tenure at the University of Maryland.

Prior to Angle’s arrival, NIFA was led by Acting Director Thomas Shanower, at the position since the departure of Sonny Ramaswamy, the previous presidential-appointed director.