farmers

The ‘Know Your Farmer, Know Your Food’ College Tour continued this week with a visit to Iowa State University, where I had the opportunity to speak with students, faculty, and members of the community about USDA’s efforts to promote local and regional food systems.

Agriculture groups find voice in social media

"I'm trying to be a modern deputy here," said Kathleen Merrigan, deputy secretary of Agriculture, during the department's first monthly Facebook live chat earlier this month. She's not the only ag player trying to take the plunge into social media. In the last year, many farm lobbying groups have established a presence on Facebook and Twitter in an effort to reach out to farmers. Americans farmers are old and getting older, with an average age of 57.1 in 2007, up from 55.3 in 2002. Social media, like most technology trends, is still thought of as the domain of young people, but the two fastest-growing age demographics on Facebook are 35- to 54-year-olds and those 55 and above, according to a Jan. 2009 analysis by iStrategyLabs, an online marketing company. (National Journal 10/19/09 link)

The Know Your Farmer, Know Your Food initiative kickoff week culminated at the annual meeting of the National Association of State Departments of Agriculture.  I asked these state leaders to join me in promoting local and regional food systems.  I shared with them a video clip of my conversation with Dave Lane, Deputy Secretary of Agriculture in the Green Mountain State (Vermont).  I asked Dave for his insights as to how state governments can help.  Watch the video here:

Last week USDA brought you a series of events and announcements to roll out the Know Your Farmer, Know Your Food initiative (KYF2). Today, we’re excited to bring it all together with a new Website for consumers and producers.

On an early fall day when the rain refused to pass farmers and producers from the DC-metropolitan region gathered for the opening of the FRESHFARM Market by the White House on Vermont Ave. Federal employees, area workers and out-of-town visitors gathered for the festivities despite the weather and were excited for the new program.

Yesterday, Secretary Tom Vilsack began the day with a speech to the Soil and Water Conservation Society (SWCS) annual convention. Vilsack discussed the partnership and connection between the Natural Resources Cconservation Service, UDSA and the SWCS, and thanked the members for their hard work as boots on the ground implementing conservation practices across the country. He noted the importance of showing landowners the economic as well as environmental benefits, and encouraging the audience to be proactive in educating clients about how USDA and conservation can work for them. Vilsack also announced $18.4 million in Conservation Innovation Grants to fund 55 projects in 34 states and the Caribbean Area.

Welcome to the United States Department of Agriculture’s new blog, a place where visitors can get the latest news on the work we are doing. Whether we are providing nutrition assistance, maintaining an appropriate safety net for America’s farmers and ranchers, mitigating effects of climate change, conserving our land, managing our forests, or assisting in the creation of renewable energy sources, USDA is an Every Day, Every Way department that touches the lives of every American, every day. So, we have a lot to report.