Carolyn Cooksie Says Goodbye to FSA After 37 Years

Carolyn Cooksie said a few words of thanks during a ceremony held on the Whitten Patio at USDA headquarters in Washington, D.C.

After 37 years with the Farm Service Agency, Carolyn B. Cooksie, FSA associate administrator, waved goodbye to 80 hour work weeks, long meetings and conference calls to walk into a new adventure — retirement.

Beginning her career as a GS-1 in high school, Cooksie worked her way up from a district office in her home town of Kentucky to the FSA associate administrator for operations and management at USDA headquarters in Washington, D.C. Her work ethic never went unnoticed and was recognized by several individuals during a retirement luncheon and ceremony held Thursday, Sept. 27.

Honors were given by Agriculture Secretary Tom Vilsack while former FSA administrators, undersecretaries and deputies in all divisions paid tribute to Cooksie’s accomplishments. “You have to have a work ethic, show up every day and you have to treat people the way you want to be treated,” said Cooksie in an interview for Fence Post earlier this year. “I learned that it’s not about having a hidden agenda, it’s about doing your job and doing what’s best for the employees and customers.” Read FencePost article on Carolyn Cooksie.