WASHINGTON, July 9, 2009 - Agriculture Secretary Tom Vilsack today named William J. Murphy as Administrator of USDA's Risk Management Agency (RMA).

"Bill has spent nearly three decades in the Federal crop insurance community and he brings valuable hands-on expertise and executive management to the USDA's leadership team," Vilsack said. "His expansive program experience and knowledge of the agency's responsibilities will be invaluable as President Obama and I work to assure the soundness of the safety net for American farmers and ranchers."

Murphy most recently served as RMA Acting Administrator during the transition to the Obama Administration. Before that, he served RMA as the Deputy Administrator for Insurance Services; Director of the Regional Office in Davis, Calif., overseeing crop insurance operations in California, Utah, Nevada, Arizona and Hawaii; and Director of the Western Region Compliance Office. He is a native of Pennsylvania and received a B.S. in Agronomy and Farm Management from Pennsylvania State University.

RMA helps farmers and ranchers manage their business risks with effective, market-based risk management products through a network of public and private-sector partners. RMA's mission is to promote, support, and regulate sound risk management solutions to preserve and strengthen the economic stability of America's agricultural producers. As part of this mission, RMA operates and manages the Federal Crop Insurance Corporation (FCIC). The Administrator of RMA serves as the manager of the Federal Crop Insurance Corporation Board of Directors.