J.B. Penn was sworn in as the under secretary for farm and foreign agricultural services. He succeeded August "Gus" Schumacher, who held that position from August 1997 until January 2001, and who is currently working to carry out the "New American Farmer Initiative," which is designed to supply hotels, restaurants, schools, and colleges across the country with high-quality agricultural products grown by America's multi-ethnic farmers.

     Before rejoining USDA, from 1988 until he was sworn in to this position in May 2001 Penn served as senior vice president and manager of the Washington, DC office of Sparks Companies, Inc., a Memphis, Tenn.-based firm that analyzes commodity markets and government policy for food and agricultural interests. From 1981-88 he was president of the Washington, DC-based Economic Perspectives, Inc., an agricultural policy consulting firm.

     Penn served as the deputy administrator for economics with USDA's [then] Economics and Statistics Service from 1978-81, after having worked as a senior staff economist for the President's Council of Economic Advisors from 1977-78. He was an agricultural economist with the Economic Research Service from 1975-77, where he worked on the 1977 Farm Bill.

     Penn has authored or co-authored numerous journal articles and technical reports, and co-authored "Agricultural and Food Policy (fourth edition)," an economics textbook which is widely used in many U.S. universities.

     A native of Lynn, Ark., Penn holds a B.S. degree in agriculture from Arkansas State University, an M.S. degree in agricultural economics from Louisiana State University, and a Ph.D. degree in agricultural economics from Purdue University in Lafayette, Ind.