News : Jim Thompson, former Benton County field specialist, retires from FSA

Jim Thompson worked in Benton County years ago as FSA field specialist; he will soon retire.

Jim Thompson, District Director Area 3 for the Iowa State FSA Office has announced his retirement from the FSA Agency after 26 years of service.

During the summers of his high school and college years (1960’s), Thompson was a temporary field man for the Benton County ASCS taking care of the old government bin sites. His duties included mowing the lawn and checking the bins.

After college, Thompson went to work for Deere and Company in Vinton as a salesman and accountant and stayed with them for 10 years. In 1985, Thompson applied for the County Office Trainee program to become a manager and began his duties as County Executive Director in Winneshiek County the fall of 1985.

In 1995, Thompson became the District Director for area 9 in SE Iowa and moved to Washington, IA. By November of 2002, Thompson was relocated to Decorah to serve NE Iowa for District 3. Thompson will officially retire on Feb. 25, 2011.

An open house is being held in his honor at the Winneshiek County FSA Office, located at 2296 Oil Well Road, Decorah between the hours of 1 and 4 PM on Friday, Feb. 25, 2011.