For Jim Kukowski, a little patience goes a long way.

Nearly a year after he was first nominated to serve on the Minnesota USDA Farm Service Agency state committee, the Strathcona farmer was formally appointed on Jan. 14, 2026, by USDA Secretary Brooke Rollins to serve on the five-member committee.

Kukowski said he was humbled and grateful to be nominated last year by members of Minnesota’s congressional delegation.

“I appreciate Reps. Tom Emmer, Brad Finstad, Michelle Fischbach and Pete Stauber for their support,” Kukowski said. “It’s a great honor to be able to represent our farmers and especially be an advocate for producers here in northern Minnesota.”

Kukowski has enjoyed a lengthy career in agriculture leadership at the local, state and national levels. Kukowski previously served on the FSA state committee during the first Trump administration, is Roseau County’s FSA chair and has been a member of the National Resources Conservation Service Tech Advisory Group since 2003. Kukowski has been a director with the Minnesota Soybean Growers Association (MSGA) for over 10 years and currently sits on MSGA’s Governing Board. He has also represented Minnesota on the American Soybean Association since 2018.

Strathcona farmer Jim Kukowski is returning to Minnesota’s FSA state committee in 2026.

“Jim’s years of experience are going to pay dividends, and we’re proud that he’s going to be a voice not just for soybean farmers, but Minnesota agriculture,” MSGA President Darin Johnson said. “There won’t need to be any on-the-job-training for Jim in this role.”

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.

“Last time I was on the committee, it was the most rewarding experience of my career – besides representing Minnesota Soybean,” Kukowski said. “By serving with FSA, you can really make a difference and help farmers, and I look forward to continue doing that again on the State Committee.”

Kukowski owns and operates a seed farm that includes a Minnesota Crop Improvement Association-approved seed conditioning facility that has served as a host site for the University of Minnesota Small Grain Field Trials since 1995. He began a land development business in 1974 and has remained active in agricultural innovation and seed improvement for over four decades. He’ll be joined on the state committee by Charles Radman, Jason May, Pamela Uhlenkamp and Scott Winslow. In May 2025, Kurt Blomgren was appointed to serve as FSA’s Minnesota state executive director.

“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.

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.