Cook Named to USDA Post
Submitted by Editor on Fri, 03/13/2009 - 1:02pm.
Chris Torres
Staff Writer
Cheryl Cook, deputy secretary at the Pennsylvania Department of Agriculture (PDA) since 2003, has been appointed as deputy under secretary for rural development at the U.S. Department of Agriculture.
Nicole Bucher, a PDA spokesperson, confirmed Thursday that Cook had been selected for the USDA post. Cook was unavailable for comment prior to press deadline.
Cook, an attorney, joined the Pennsylvania Department of Agriculture in 2003 as deputy secretary for marketing and economic development.
Mike Pechart, PDA executive assistant and agriculture policy director, has been named as Cook’s replacement.
Cook oversaw a variety of bureaus at the department and was instrumental in developing several programs, including the Pennsylvania Preferred Program.
From 1993 to 2000 she served as the Pennsylvania state director for USDA’s economic and community development programs. She came to PDA from the Keystone Development Center, a non-profit organization working with new and emerging cooperatives.
She also worked on the public policy staff of the National Farmers Union.
