WSDA Food Assistance Programs relocated to the Food Safety and Consumer Services Division

The Food Assistance Programs (FAP) relocated to a new division last year called the Agricultural Development & Assistance Division which is led by Assistant Director Betty Ramage. 

Given WSDA’s streamlining efforts and budget constraints, it was decided to eliminate the division.  All the programs that currently make up FAP (CSFP, EFAP and TEFAP) remain within FAP but will be under another division within WSDA.  It was recently decided that the Food Assistance Programs will be in the Food Safety and Consumer Services Division which is headed up by Assistant Director Kirk Robinson. The Department of Agriculture is dedicated to facilitating opportunities for farmers and emergency food providers to advance the excellent efforts being made to feed Washington’s hungry.   

Here is a letter from Kirk Robinson on the new change:

More about Kirk Robinson:

In 2003 Kirk joined Washington State Department of Agriculture as lead inspector for the LivestockNutrient Management Program. Since then he has continued his career at WSDA as Program Managerfor the Weights & Measures / Commission Merchants Programs and since November 2010 served as Assistant Director overseeing the Food Safety and Consumer Services Division. Prior to working for the state of Washington, Kirk worked for the Thurston Conservation District and was a dairy and crop farmer for 25 years. Kirk served on the Board of Directors of the Washington State Dairy Federation, served on the Ethics Committee with the Grays Harbor Community Hospital, and on the Board of Directors of the National Conference on Weights & Measures. He attended both Grays Harbor Community College and Evergreen State College and is a graduate of the Evans School of Public Affairs Executive Management Program. Kirk and his wife Ginny have four children and four grandchildren.