USDA Announces Christina Muedeking as NRCS Regional Assistant Chief

WASHINGTON, February 26, 2007 – The U.S. Department of Agriculture today announced the selection of Christina Muedeking as Regional Assistant Chief for the Natural Resources Conservation Service (NRCS).

“Christina is a great addition to the NRCS team with her strong background in agriculture and conservation policy. Her diverse professional experiences, strong managerial skills and understanding of the needs of our nation’s farmers and ranchers will serve the agency well,” said Arlen L. Lancaster, NRCS Chief.

Prior to her appointment, Muedeking served as Deputy Chief of Staff to Representative Tom Osborne for six years managing staff and agriculture policy for the Congressman including work on the 2002 Farm Bill. Her experience with Capitol Hill also includes work as Legislative Counsel for Representative David Minge where among other duties she drafted legislation for the 1996 Farm Bill including a marketing loan program and a wetlands policy reform proposal.

NRCS is organized into three regions—East, Central and West with each region headed by a Regional Assistant Chief. Regional Assistant Chiefs are management representatives of the Chief and are responsible for providing overall direction of NRCS programs and activities consistent with the Chief’s guidance and overseeing NRCS State Conservationists.

Muedeking will serve as Regional Assistant Chief for the NRCS Central Region which is currently comprised of: Arkansas, Illinois, Iowa, Kansas, Louisiana, Minnesota, Missouri, Nebraska, North Dakota, Oklahoma, South Dakota, Texas and Wisconsin. She succeeds Merlin Bartz who returned to his native Iowa after serving in the Bush Administration at USDA since 2001.

Muedeking, a native of Minnesota, grew up on the family farm outside Tracy, Minnesota. She graduated from the University of Minnesota, Morris, with a degree in political science and earned her law degree from George Washington University in 1995. In addition to her legislative experience Muedeking worked for Koch Industries as a Program Officer and for National Pork Producers as International Trade Specialist.

An avid outdoorsman and runner, she and her husband Bryan Dierlam reside in Washington, D.C.
 

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