COLUMBIA, SC – Today, Congressman James E. Clyburn praised the appointment of Dr. Saundra Glover as the U.S. Department of Agriculture (USDA) South Carolina State Director of Rural Development and Laurie Funderburk as the USDA South Carolina Farm Service Agency Executive Director.

“I want to thank President Biden for accepting my recommendations and making these outstanding appointments to the South Carolina offices of the USDA,” said Congressman Clyburn. “Dr. Glover and Ms. Funderburk have led distinguished careers, and I am confident their extensive backgrounds and experiences working with rural and farming communities will allow them to continue to serve this state well.”

Dr. Glover is the former Vice President for Research and Economic Development at South Carolina State University and distinguished Professor Emerita at the University of South Carolina. During her career, she has demonstrated a deep commitment to the advancement of economic development in rural South Carolina. She exhibits a wealth of experience in closing racially-based health outcome gaps, developing comprehensive socio-economic policies, and addressing the disparities that limited-resource farmers face when impacted by natural disasters. She is a graduate of South Carolina State University and received her MBA and Ph.D. from the University of South Carolina.

Laurie Funderburk was a member of the South Carolina House of Representatives from 2004 to 2020. In the state legislature she served on the Agriculture and Natural Resources Committee where she advocated for needed infrastructure, housing, and other resources for farming communities. Born into a farming family, she has always understood the challenges facing rural communities. She is a graduate of both the University of South Carolina Honors College and the School of Law.  

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