The U.S. Department of Agriculture appointed Margaret Hoffmann to lead a rural development office in Oregon, according to a report from Oregon Capital Chronicle (Salem, Oregon). She will be helping to deliver hundreds of millions of dollars in grants and loans from the agency to farmers and ranchers. The office distributed $680 million in assistance last year. The funding will be used to develop rural energy conservation, broadband internet, job creation, and other projects.

Hoffmann was previously a strategic operations manager for the Farmers Conservation Alliance in Hood River and an energy consultant and advisor for three years under former Oregon Gov. John Kitzhaber and Gov. Kate Brown. She will meet with rural community leaders to learn their needs and figure out the best way to provide assistance from the USDA.