ROD SNYDER

EPA senior advisor works to forge environmental protection solutions to ensure a productive and resilient agriculture system.

- Adrienne Held

The relationship between the Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) and the agriculture sector has always been tenuous. Rod Snyder works to bridge the divide and ensure farmers have a seat at the table.

Snyder grew up with deep agricultural roots in Jefferson County, West Virginia, where he still resides on his family farm. He has a deep appreciation for the heritage, legacy, and lifestyle of farming.

It’s this connection to the land that motivates him to commute daily by train to his office in Washington, D.C. In October 2021, he was appointed by President Biden to his current role of senior advisor for agriculture at the EPA.

SF: What inspired you to get involved in politics and public service?

RS: Growing up, I had a front row seat to public service. My father spent nearly 30 years in elected office, including two decades in the West Virginia state senate. When I graduated with a political science degree, I made a conscious decision to go into agriculture policy. I felt like it was a way I could continue to contribute to my family’s agricultural background and legacy even though I wasn’t actively farming myself. That’s made this work very personal for me. 

SF: The goal of Waters of the United States (WOTUS) is to protect our water sources and ecosystems, which is a shared goal for farmers and ranchers. Yet, this remains a