Puerto Rico

Cross posted from the disability.gov blog: Today, I was thinking about the last entry I wrote for Disability.gov’s blog just about a year ago and considering our accomplishments in 2012 and the opportunities that are ahead for 2013. The need for food assistance remained high in 2012, with an average...

Earlier this month, USDA Rural Development-Puerto Rico held an Intermediary Relending Program Roundtable meeting for area stakeholders. Our staff provided a brief overview of the program followed by a very dynamic question and answer session. The most significant issues discussed were the current...

Rural Development is the lead Federal agency that works to ensure that rural families have access to safe, well-built, affordable homes. In February 2012, the agency initiated a two-year, pilot refinancing program in 19 states hardest hit by the Nation’s housing downturn to help eligible USDA...

In many parts of the United States, the summer months are a time when food banks and pantries experience a higher demand alongside decreased donations. As part of this past summer’s Feds Feed Families food drive, USDA employees in Mayaguez, Puerto Rico, enthusiastically joined in the effort to help...

Late last month, Arlene Zambrana, Rural Housing Program Director, was recognized as the Public Servant of the Year by the Puerto Rico Housing Builder Association. Through her professional career, she has escalated higher positions that have provided the opportunity to obtain the present position as...

On September 13, Master Paints & Chemical Corporation located in the Municipality of Guayanila, Puerto Rico realized their goal when they became independent of the use of fossil fuel sources energy. Master Paint & Chemical Corp is a local rural paint manufacturer that employs 260 people. This...

Olga Morales admits she is kind of a workaholic. Two decades ago, Olga Morales worked inside an egg products plant in Elizabeth, N.J., inspecting food to make sure it was safe for the public to purchase and to eat. Today, after rising through the ranks at the Food Safety and Inspection Service, she...

Earlier this month, USDA Rural Development Staff in Puerto Rico held an energy stakeholders meeting to present the new online tools available on the revamped Energy Programs website. Also an overview of the projects developed in the island with the Rural Energy for America Program (REAP) funds were...

El 23 de febrero del 2012, niños de clubes 4-H en Puerto Rico aprendieron sobre la importancia de un manejo adecuado de alimentos, por medio del campamento de inocuidad alimentaria. El Personal para al Educación de Inocuidad Alimentaria del Servicio de Inocuidad e Inspección de Alimentos trabajó en...

Yesterday, members of Puerto Rico’s 4-H club learned about the importance of safe food handling at a hands-on, entertaining food safety camp. The Food Safety and Inspection Service’s Food Safety Education Staff collaborated with the Puerto Rico Food Safety Educational Consortium to host 60 kids at...