President Joe Biden has appointed former Indiana state Rep. Terry Goodin to be the USDA’s state director for rural development.

Goodin grew up raising beef cattle on his family’s southern Indiana farm, and he served for 24 years as the superintendent at Crothersville Community Schools before retiring in January. The board of trustees hired Rob Hooker as interim superintendent to replace Goodin.

Goodin served for 20 years in the Indiana House of Representatives and was chosen by his colleagues as the House minority leader in 2017. He served on the State Budget Committee, was vice chairman of the House Ways and Means Committee and was a member of the Agriculture and Rural Development Committee.

Goodin resides in Austin and continues to raise beef cattle on the family farm.

Biden’s office says Goodin and other regional appointees will be critical to the president’s efforts to rebuild communities most impacted by the pandemic, the economic recovery and climate change.