Five Indiana agriculture leaders have been appointed by the U.S. Department of Agriculture to serve on the state committee of its Farm Service Agency (FSA), a panel that plays a central role in overseeing federal farm programs and resolving disputes from producers.
Named to the Indiana committee are Tom McKinney of Kempton, who will serve as chair; Tracey Clifford of Auburn; William “Bill” Gelfius of Hartsville; Timothy A. Schwab of Batesville; and Kevin Underwood of West Lafayette. Each brings extensive experience in production agriculture, farm management and industry leadership.
McKinney, a lifelong grain producer from Tipton County, has expanded and managed his family’s multigenerational corn and soybean operation in central Indiana. In addition to his farming work, he has been active in agricultural leadership, including service on state and national Farm Bureau energy committees, and has participated in local redevelopment initiatives aimed at strengthening rural communities.
Clifford operates a multigenerational row-crop farm in DeKalb County in northeast Indiana, where she oversees business operations and is directly involved in field preparation, planting and harvest. She also brings a deep understanding of federal farm programs from her career with the Farm Service Agency, where she served in multiple roles at both the county and state levels, working closely with producers on program delivery.
Gelfius, a longtime producer based in Bartholomew County, manages a highly diversified agricultural operation that includes seed corn, seed soybeans, wheat, double-crop soybeans and processing tomatoes, along with a large wean-to-finish hog enterprise. His background spans decades of farm management and production, and he has held leadership roles on county extension and soil and water conservation boards. He also previously served on the Indiana FSA State Committee, providing institutional knowledge of the panel’s work.
Schwab is a lifelong cattle producer based in Ripley County. He oversees a diversified livestock and grain operation, including a cow herd, feedlot and row-crop production. His experience covers herd management, breeding, feeding and regulatory compliance. He has also been active in industry leadership, with involvement in the Indiana Beef Cattle Association and the National Cattlemen’s Beef Association, where he has contributed to policy discussions affecting the beef sector.
Underwood manages a broad-based farming operation that includes corn, popcorn, sweet corn, soybeans, seed soybeans and wheat, along with a farrow-to-finish hog enterprise on his farm in Tippecanoe County. His career reflects decades of experience in both crop and livestock production, and he has held numerous leadership roles, including service on the Indiana Farm Bureau Board of Directors and participation on several county-level agricultural advisory boards.
In a statement, FSA Administrator Bill Beam said the appointees are “held in high regard” within the industry and will help ensure that federal farm programs are administered in a manner consistent with policy and responsive to producers’ needs.
State FSA committees, typically composed of three to five members, function as a bridge between federal policy and local implementation, providing oversight and helping address concerns from the agricultural community. State committee members also oversee county committee operations and act as an appeals body for farmers navigating federal programs.
The Farm Service Agency administers a wide range of programs — including farm loans, conservation initiatives, disaster assistance and commodity support — through a nationwide network of state and county offices.
