President Obama has selected David R. Duncan, Jr., to be the first African-American chairman of the USDA Farm Service Agency State Committee in Kentucky.
"It is with great pleasure I accept the position to serve on the Kentucky State Farm Service Agency Committee,” said Duncan. “By serving on this committee I can help preserve one of our nation’s most precious resources, the farmer, his family and the land, as they are one unit. Working together as a team we can make this happen.”
Duncan served as chairman of the Garrard County Extension District Board and the Garrard-Lincoln Counties FSA Committee. he was a member of the Board of Regents for Northern Kentucky University for nearly 12 years and also served on the United Way of Bluegrass and the Human Rights Commission in Lexington, Ky. In 2009, he was named minority farmer of the year.
During his childhood Duncan spent most of his summers on his aunt and uncle’s small farm. As he became a young adult, he raised hogs and worked for Fister Truck Farm, picking many varieties of vegetables for them to market.
By age 18 he entered the U.S. Navy where he served on an aircraft carrier for four years as a fighter plane mechanic. He returned to civilian life and began his 32-year career with IBM where he worked until retirement. He and his family also worked a small 33-acre farm where they raised cattle, tobacco, vegetables and poultry.
