Bill Hawks was sworn in as the under secretary for marketing and regulatory programs. He succeeded Isi Siddiqui, who held that position from December 2000 until January 2001, and who is now the senior director for biotechnology and international trade with the American Crop Protection Association in Washington, DC.

     Before joining USDA, from 1986 until he was sworn in to this position in May 2001 Hawks was managing partner of Hawks Farming, which farms approximately 7,700 acres of land, including 5,200 acres of soybeans, 3,000 acres of double-cropped winter wheat, and 2,500 acres of corn, in three counties in northern Mississippi. Since 1987 the Hawks family has also owned DeSoto East, Inc., a residential development company based in Hernando, Miss.

     Hawks served in the Mississippi State Senate from 1995-2000, representing his native DeSoto County. During that period he served on committees with jurisdiction over agriculture and the environment, and concentrated on such specific issues as initiating a study showing the importance of agriculture to the state economy of Mississippi. From 1985-98 he owned and managed Northwest Mississippi Flying Service, Inc., an agricultural aerial application service in DeSoto County, and also owned and operated a recreational airport there. He was part owner of Sunbelt Land and Timber Company, Inc., a professional farm management company in DeSoto County, from 1980-86.

     A farmer since 1970, Hawks started farming by owning and operating a dairy in DeSoto County. Then in the early 1970s he began to lease acreage from neighbors to get started in a row crop operation, often doing custom harvesting work for others to help pay for equipment. Over the years, this has evolved into the multi-faceted operation in place today.

     A native of northern Mississippi, Hawks holds B.S. and M.S. degrees in agricultural economics from Mississippi State University.