Former Fresno councilmember appointed by Biden to fill key USDA position

A Fresno community leader has been appointed by President Joe Biden to serve in a key regional leadership role at the United States Department of Agriculture.

Blong Xiong, a former Fresno City councilmember who has been leading the Fresno Asian Business Institute & Resource Center, was named the USDA state executive director.

Xiong, 51, has spent more than 20 years doing community service, often helping southeast Asian farmers and small Asian businesses in the central San Joaquin Valley.

He served two terms as a councilmember for the City of Fresno (2007-2014), where Xiong was the first Asian councilmember in Fresno history and the first elected Hmong councilmember throughout California.

As a USDA state executive director, Xiong will oversee the work conducted by the USDA’s Farm Service Agency to ensure that USDA resources are distributed equitably and fairly in California.

The USDA Farm Service Agency is responsible for implementing agricultural policy, administering credit and loan programs, and managing conservation, commodity, disaster, and farm marketing programs in each state.

Xiong, along with eight others appointed to a regional role with the USDA or the Department of Housing and Urban Development (HUD), are tasked with helping in the president’s efforts to rebuild communities most impacted by the pandemic and economic recovery, as well as climate change.

The White House said selections were made based on each individual’s expertise in their issue areas as well as critical relationships with federal, state, tribal, and local leaders.

And, consistent with Biden’s commitment to building an administration that looks like America, these regional appointees represent the diversity of America and the communities they serve.

Other regional appointees are:

• Matt Gellings, USDA State Executive Director, Farm Service Agency, Idaho
• Whitney Place, USDA State Executive Director, Farm Service Agency, Minnesota
• Heidi Secord, USDA State Executive Director, Farm Service Agency, Pennsylvania
• Ronald Howell, USDA State Executive Director, Farm Service Agency, Virginia
• Lakeisha Hood, USDA State Director, Rural Development, Florida & U.S. Virgin Islands
• Rudy Soto, USDA State Director, Rural Development, Idaho
• Helen Price Johnson, USDA State Director, Rural Development, Washington
• Margaret Salazar, HUD Regional Administrator, Region 10

This story was originally published January 14, 2022 at 5:00 AM.