WASHINGTON, March 17, 2011 -- Arthur L. Neal, Jr. is the new Deputy Administrator of the Transportation and Marketing program at the Agricultural Marketing Service of the U.S. Department of Agriculture.
“Arthur Neal has experience in bringing people and ideas together to tackle challenges farmers and consumers are facing by creating solutions that are thoughtful and practical,” said AMS Administrator Rayne Pegg. “As Deputy Administrator he will be a great asset to the Agricultural Marketing Service management team."
The son of a farmer, Neal joined AMS in June 1994 under the USDA/1890 University Scholars’ Program. He worked in numerous areas at AMS. In October 2007, he transitioned from AMS to serve as the National Special Programs Manager for the USDA/1890 Programs under the Office of the Assistant Secretary for Civil Rights. There he worked with all USDA mission areas and led a team of USDA liaison officers to strengthen the relationship between USDA and the 1890 Universities through the sharing of expertise and resources in areas such as agricultural research, extension and teaching programs, technology development, and rural development. From October 2009 to March 2010, Neal was Special Assistant to the Director of the USDA Office of Adjudication and worked on special projects for the Assistant Secretary for Civil Rights, including issues related to the settlement of discrimination complaints filed under the Equal Credit Opportunity Act.
In his work with the National Organic Program, where he has served as associate deputy administrator since March 2010, Neal has played a key role in shaping the NOP’s national organic standards. He worked closely with the National Organic Standards Board and has served as the U.S. delegate regarding organic issues for the United Nation’s Food and Agriculture /World Health Organization Codex Alimentarius Commission’s Committee on Food Labeling.
A native of Newellton, Louisiana, Neal holds a Bachelor of Science degree in agricultural economics from Southern University and A&M College in Baton Rouge, LA, and a Master of Science degree in agricultural economics from the University of Arkansas, Fayetteville. He and his wife, Angelia, are active in their community church, where Arthur helps facilitate a men’s focus study and also mentors young men between the ages of 8-16.
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