Small Town News

Short named Delaware deputy secretary of agriculture

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Delaware Agriculture Secretary Ed Kee has announced that Austin Short has accepted the position of deputy secretary of agriculture effective Sunday, April 11. Short began his career with the Delaware Department of Agriculture in 1992 when he held the position of service forester. In 1995, he became state forester and administrator of the state Forest Service.

As a member of the National Association of State Foresters, he has served as president - the first from Delaware in the organization's 88-year history - as well as chairman of the emerging issues and sustainable forestry implementation committees. From September 2008 to Jan. 22, 2009, Short served as acting secretary of the Delaware Department of Agriculture (DDA) during the transition from the Min-ner administration to the Markell administration.

Short has a B.S. in forestry and an M.S. in forest biometrics from Virginia Tech. He and his family manage a 280-acre farm near Georgetown, Delaware, including a 170-acre tree farm and a small sawmill.

Short is a recipient of the Outstanding Young Alumnus Award from Virginia Tech's College of Natural Resources, the American Tree Farm System's State Forester of the Year Award and the Delaware Tree Farmer of the Year Award. Short is also an elder in the Presbyterian Church (USA). He and his wife Kelley live in Georgetown.

Kee said, "I am very pleased that Austin has accepted the position as deputy secretary of agriculture. His professionalism, hard work and dedication to Delaware agriculture and the DDA Forest Service have been noted and applauded by many."





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