I just returned from Indianapolis and my first National FFA
Convention.Having missed the
first 82 of them, I figured it was about time to see what these folks were up
to.I grew up in a part of
northern New Jersey where there was no active FFA presence and where 4-H
existed to help the wealthier suburban kids who actually got ponies for
Christmas learn how to care for them.
I learned to appreciate FFA while working for the Pennsylvania
Department of Agriculture, where the partnership with the state FFA leadership
is very strong.I was blown away
to learn that the largest FFA chapter in the State actually is at W.B. Saul
High School in Philadelphia. I have been to the state FFA convention and often
sent others to the national convention, but I’d never seen it with my own
eyes.
Picture 46,000 high school and college age students, about
the same number that you would find at a major land grant university, all
wearing blue jackets, all polite, all committed to this nation and to
agriculture.It was an exciting,
empowering experience.
My main reason for going was to speak to ag-entrepreneurship
winners and their families.About
a hundred FFA members, their families and sponsors were there.Each winner had found some unique way
to start a small business or develop an operation.I’m proud that USDA Rural Development is a sponsor of this competition.
What I told the group was that my favorite animal is a
turtle.If you walk into my office
or into my home you will see likenesses of turtles everywhere.It’s because I was told as a girl that,
like the turtle, if you don’t stick your neck out every once in awhile, you’ll
never get anyplace.
My primary message to these bright, young students was to
find an issue that makes you passionate and go for it.Become a leader, but be someone who can
motivate those around you.A
leader without followers is just someone going for a walk.
Finally, I told them about an exciting new program which
Congress put into the new Farm Bill and is enthusiastically supported by
Secretary Vilsack and by those of us here at Rural Development:It is the Microentrepreneurship
Assistance Program.What we’re
going to do is select non-profit intermediaries and provide them with funds
that they can loan to people who want to start a business.It’s perfect for the members of the
FFA.The amount to be lent is no
more than $50,000 per applicant.All the details about the program were posted in the October 7th
edition of the Federal Register.If you want to find out more or comment on the program, that’s the place
to go.
You know, walking around Indianapolis and seeing all of
these great young Americans from Hawaii to Puerto Rico and Florida to Alaska, all
together, all motivated, gives me a great feeling, not just about agriculture
and its future, but in the future of America.Trust me, it won’t be another 83 years before I attend my
next FFA convention.
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.
Having spent the past eight years as a professor at Tufts University prior to becoming Deputy, it felt great to be back on a college campus. I am continually impressed with the feedback and ideas I receive from students about the direction of the department under the Obama Administration and the Know Your Farmer, Know Your Food initiative.
On Tuesday night, over 300 people, mostly students, gathered at Iowa State to hear about Know Your Farmer, Know Your Food. Students are excited about this Administration’s renewed focus on local and regional food systems and want to get involved. After my speech, I spoke with countless young people who are interested in careers in agriculture and farming.
To be sure, these young men and women represent the future face of agriculture.
The average age of farmers in the US is 57 years old. Now, more than ever, we need to recruit the next generation of agricultural leaders. Below are some of the exciting programs administered by USDA to support beginning farmers and ranchers:
Direct Operating and Direct Ownership Loans: We’ve set targets within this program for money to go to beginning farmers and ranchers. This program makes sure that farmers and ranchers can get a loan in order to cover the cost of buying land, equipment and general operating expenses.
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.
In response to a lively crowd, First Lady Michelle Obama admitted, “I’ve never seen so many people excited about fruits and vegetables!”
At the event, Agriculture Secretary Tom Vilsack announced 86 awardees of the 2009 Farmers Market Promotion Program totaling more than $4.5 million to help continue the spread of farmer’s markets across the nation. “Fifteen years ago there were only 1,700 farmer’s markets and today we have more than 4,700,” said Secretary Vilsack.
Since 1996 USDA has hosted a farmer’s market at 12th and Jefferson Avenue, and Deputy Secretary Merrigan’s announcement yesterday of a pilot program to serve healthy and nutritious foods offers yet another opportunity to eat local for federal employees.
Farmer’s markets provide more than an opportunity to purchase healthy, local products and goods; they also allow you to connect with the community. Walking through the vendors, I recognized a familiar face that was the mother of a great childhood friend. It’s so easy to become distracted with busy schedules and to-do lists; why not take an hour to shop for local goods and become reacquainted with your community, new or old.
Beyond food, there was plenty for crafters and casual passerby. Loudoun County’s Solitude Yarns will be at the FRESHFARM Market through October selling yarns made and dyed locally. Bonus – they offered to help with my latest knitting project should I have any issues! Beautiful locally grown flowers lined the market, sure to catch anyone’s eye.
Secretary Vilsack acknowledged the Obama Administration’s commitment to health and agricultural issues but closed in saying “ With all do respect to my President, I love the commitment of the First Lady as she helped break ground at our People’s Garden and continues the message.”
Farmer’s markets allow local food to become a part of a community’s culture. Secretary Vilsack noted that many people know the importance of local and regional food systems, others simply like having a fresh and healthy alternative. We’re hearing a lot of great stories from people visiting the Know Your Farmer, Know Your Food YouTube playlist. There have been a number of announcements this week and we’re looking ahead to a new web site to educate consumers and connect people more closely with the farmers.
To find a farmer’s market near you, visit the USDA’s Agricultural Marketing Service service here.
It was a rainy morning here at the USDA headquarters in Washington DC, but that did not stop the local farm vendors from setting up shop at the weekly USDA Farmer’s Market.
Agriculture Deputy Secretary Kathleen Merrigan stopped by the market this morning to purchase local fruits and vegetables for donation. Tomatoes the size of a boxer’s fist, eggplants of all purple hues, and peppers as crisp as the breeze around us found their way into bags and boxes on their way to a local kitchen for the homeless and underserved.
The produce from Virginia, Maryland, and southern Pennsylvania represents the growing popularity of farmer’s markets around the country. The USDA’s Farmer’s Market was started in 1996 and due to the success and popularity, has continued to grow every year since. The market is located on the grounds of the USDA headquarters and is open from June 5 until October 30. The market features 14 vendors and receives over 2500 visitors a day.
The market has become an integral part of USDA's commitment to develop effective direct marketing strategies for farmers. According to a study by the Agricultural Marketing Service, an agency within the USDA, the U.S. farmers market industry shows the sector continues to experience brisk growth. Between the year 2000, when AMS conducted its first comprehensive national survey of farmers markets, and the end of 2005, the number of farmers markets in the United States increased 43 percent, from 2,863 to 4,093, an average growth rate of 8.6 percent a year. Total farmers market sales nationwide now exceed $1 billion dollars annually.
After selecting several cases and bags of food, Deputy Secretary Merrigan delivered the produce to Agriculture Secretary Tom Vilsack who was delivering them fresh from the farm to the table at the DC Central Kitchen.
Monday Oct 26, 2009
