The exodus of appointees under the Bush Administration has begun.

U.S. Agriculture Secretary Ed Schafer today announced the resignation of Agriculture Under Secretary for Rural Development Thomas Dorr.

“Tom Dorr has been a transformational leader for USDA Rural Development,” Schafer said. “As the transition to a new Administration continues in the months ahead, senior leaders will be moving on, but Under Secretary Dorr’s contributions to USDA and rural America will be felt for many years to come.”

Dorr has been a proponent of biofuels helping rural economies and has been a regular speaker at renewable energy conferences over the past several years. A native of Marcus, Iowa, Tom Dorr joined USDA in 2001, serving as USDA Under Secretary for Rural Development and Senior Advisor to the Secretary. He was appointed in December 2005 by then-Secretary Mike Johanns to chair the USDA Energy Council and served as co-chair of the Federal Biomass Research and Development Board.

His resignation is effective December 1. No word yet on where he will be going.