Former ND Senator Tom Campbell appointed as U.S. Department of Agriculture Rural Development state director

Former North Dakota Republican state senator Tom Campbell has been appointed as the U.S. Department of Agriculture Rural Development state director. Campbell, who helped build his family’s potato farming business near Grafton and has experience in real estate and banking, served in the state Senate from 2013 to 2018 and previously ran for both U.S. House and governor. He succeeds Erin Oban from the Biden administration and will oversee programs related to rural housing, internet access, and water supply. Meanwhile, Brad Thykeson has returned as state executive director for the Farm Service Agency, replacing Marcy Svenningsen.