Puerto Rico Departamento de Agricultura
Secretary
Website: https://www.agricultura.pr/ Social Media:
About:
Josué E. Rivera Castro is a public servant with a distinguished career in managing economic and agricultural development programs. He was appointed Secretary of the Puerto Rico Department of Agriculture by Governor Jenniffer González Colón on January 12, 2025, and was unanimously confirmed by the Senate on February 10, 2025. Since then, he has worked with determination to strengthen local production, modernize the agricultural industry, and ensure the Island’s food security.
Prior to leading the Department of Agriculture, Rivera Castro served as District Director of the U.S. Small Business Administration (SBA) for Puerto Rico and the U.S. Virgin Islands from 2021 to 2025. In that role, he oversaw the distribution of more than $6 billion in economic assistance to small businesses and community organizations affected by the COVID-19 pandemic. He also promoted financing strategies to support the growth of small and medium-sized enterprises in key sectors, including agribusiness. His leadership at SBA was instrumental in the economic recovery of many businesses in Puerto Rico, facilitating access to capital and advancing resilience programs.
Previously, he served as State Director of USDA Rural Development in Puerto Rico (2018–2021), where he achieved major milestones in financing agricultural infrastructure and expanding essential services in rural communities. Among his most significant accomplishments was the restructuring of a $423 million transaction with the Puerto Rico Aqueduct and Sewer Authority (AAA), and the organization of Puerto Rico’s first Rural Lending Investment Summit.
At the Puerto Rico Federal Affairs Administration (PRFAA), Rivera Castro worked as a policy advisor, advocating on issues including agriculture, telecommunications, interstate commerce, and federal tax reform. Following Hurricane Maria in 2017, he played a key role in coordinating recovery efforts, collaborating with FEMA and other federal agencies. His efforts helped secure $55 billion in disaster relief funding for the Island. For his work, he received the Distinguished Alumni Award from the University of Puerto Rico Alumni and Friends Abroad Association (UPRAA).
Since assuming the role of Secretary of Agriculture, he has launched programs to optimize agricultural incentives, improve access to financing, and promote sustainability in local production. Notable initiatives include the creation of the Office of Economic Affairs and Statistics and the implementation of incentives for generational transition in farming.
His leadership has also been essential in addressing public health events such as the avian flu outbreak in Puerto Rico, where he coordinated biosecurity protocols in collaboration with the USDA.
Rivera Castro has experience in the private sector, having worked for prominent firms including PricewaterhouseCoopers (PwC) and Falcón Sánchez & Associates. He also founded his own consultancy focused on accounting, business development, and government affairs.
Raised in Bayamón, Puerto Rico, Rivera Castro demonstrated a commitment to public service and economic development from a young age. While studying at the University of Puerto Rico in Bayamón, he received a full scholarship in 2010 from the World Affairs Council of America to represent Puerto Rico in Washington, D.C., at its annual conference, “U.S. Foreign Policy: The Next Decade.” That same year, he was selected by the Puerto Rico Department of State to join the prestigious Baltasar Corrada del Río internship program. His dedication to community service earned him recognition from various nonprofit organizations, including the U.S. Civil Air Patrol and the San Juan National Exchange Club. In 2014, he earned a Bachelor of Business Administration with a concentration in Accounting.
With strong academic preparation and a career defined by leadership and strategic management, Josué E. Rivera Castro continues working to transform Puerto Rico’s agricultural sector into a driver of sustainable economic development.
