November 2009

Spinach Salad with Sliced Egg, Warm Bacon Dressing and Crumbled Clemson Blue Cheese
Tilapia Filet with a Shrimp Mornay Sauce
Sweet Potato au Gratin with Goat Cheese and Apples
Rainbow Swiss Chard
Apple Cobbler with Fresh Whipped Cream

In addition to being delicious, there is one thing each of these menu items has in common – they were all made from locally provided ingredients from South Carolina and were highlight of the 2009 Agribusiness Summit hosted by the Palmetto Institute.

Today I testified before the Senate Committee on Agriculture, Nutrition, and Forestry Environment on the important issue of the upcoming reauthorization of the Department’s Child Nutrition Programs. We have a great opportunity right now to combat child hunger and improve the health and nutrition of children across the country, and we cannot let this moment pass us by.

In addition to providing quality jobs, the American Recovery and Reinvestment Act (ARRA) is improving antiquated infrastructure in rural America. For example, Jonestown, East of Easton on Maryland’s Delmarva Peninsula, is about to receive a long-needed upgrade to its water system.

For some Americans, making ends meet is a struggle even in a strong economy. These households at times have difficulty meeting their food needs and can’t always afford enough food to get them through the month, or the week. During economic downturns, these situations become more common and more serious.

I had the pleasure of joining USDA Under Secretary Tonsager, Senator Kent Conrad, Senator Byron Dorgan and Congressman Earl Pomeroy in the ground-breaking of a new regional medical center in Jamestown, North Dakota. This project is a direct result of the American Recovery and Reinvestment Act (ARRA) that President Obama signed into law in February.

On Thursday Under Secretary for Rural Development Dallas Tonsager participated in Trade Talk during the National Association of Farm Broadcasting (NAFB) convention in Kansas City.

Today USDA’s first “Turkey Tweets” campaign takes flight. Every day until Friday, Nov. 27, the Food Safety and Inspection Service will send out a fresh turkey tip via Twitter, the popular instant messaging service. The tips help you prepare a successful and safe holiday meal.

It’s a source of pride to me that South Dakota is benefitting from the American Recovery and Reinvestment Act (ARRA) that President Obama signed into law in February.  As an example, the South Dakota Municipal League is breaking ground on a lot in the Teton Island Addition in Fort Pierre for new office and training space.  The new facility will provide office space for six employees, plus two additional spaces to allow for future staff expansion. These federal funds will help improve services offered by the League, including trainings and meetings sessions.

This morning, I was privileged to represent USDA at a Military Families Summit hosted at the University of Maryland and organized with us by the Department of Defense Military Community and Family Policy program.  More than 300 leaders who provide support to military families – including the office of the Secretary of Defense, the Army, Navy, Air Force, Marines, the National Guard and Reserve, land-grant universities, and other non-governmental partners – also attended the event to review the Defense Department’s commitment to family support and readiness, the status of military families, a

My first three weeks interning for USDA have been extremely interesting and enjoyable.  A native of Austin, Texas, I grew up spending most weekends on my grandparents’ farm, the same farm where we currently raise Texas Longhorn cattle. Instead of returning to Austin after the baseball season, I came to Washington, DC to take advantage of this great opportunity to learn about both agriculture and the government while also making a difference.