Wheat Research in Maine Rising to the Challenge

There is nothing like the smell of fresh baked bread. Now image if bread, like wine, was valued for its “terroir” - the idea that the land where the ingredients come from impart a special flavor or essence to the final product. Well that may not be a far fetched idea if you try Borealis Breads up in Portland, Maine. 

Deputy Secretary Merrigan traveled to Portland Friday to announce $19 million in funding to grantees across the country that will address critical organic agriculture issues through the integration of research, education and extension projects. Ellen Mallory of the University of Maine was one such recipient, receiving over $1.3 million in research funding for the Northern New England Bread Wheat Project.  Ellen, in cooperation with University of Vermont and USDA's Agricultural Research Service, is helping local farmers produce high‐quality organic bread wheat for our region’s millers and bakers.

Maine used to be known as the 'Bread Basket of New England' until the industry collapsed. But Ellen's research is looking to revive that title by putting organic wheat back into production by local farmers. But the story gets even better – the demand for the wheat has increased so much that a local granary, Aurora Mills, opened to process the wheat into flour. This resulted in new jobs and a 2nd granary is in the works, even more jobs based on local production.

Taking the story one step further in the creation of a local/regional food system, Jim Amaral, proprietor of Borealis Breads is using the homegrown wheat in his breads.  Why? Well Jim lays it out pretty clearly: breads made with Maine grain are better in quality and taste. Jim goes on to explain it is more than just better bread, it is more jobs and more business local opportunities. With over 100,000 breads made last year, Borealis is now expanding operation and Jim is confident that “100 years from now, Mainers will be eating breads made from local grain.” If there is a better example of the 'Know Your Farmer, Know Your Food' initiative in action, we would like to see it.

Maine Public Broadcasting Network covered the event; listen to the broadcast here. 

Permalink  |  Posted: 11:13AM Nov 02, 2009 by USDAblogger in USDA Web Site  |  Add Your Comment Here [0]

Secretary Vilsack Arrives in Philippines for U.S. Trade Mission

On Saturday, I arrived in the Philippines for the first-ever USDA trade mission in Southeast Asia. The Philippines is a key market in the region for U.S. agricultural exports, with sales of over $1.77 billion in 2008, a record high, while U.S. agricultural imports from the Philippines reached $ 1.24 billion during the same period.

Yesterday I had the opportunity to visit the International Rice Research Institute (IRRI) to learn more about the efforts of IRRI in addressing global food security through rice research. IRRI was established in 1960 and is the largest non-profit agricultural research center in Asia and is known as the home of the Green Revolution in Asia.

For over three decades, the U.S. Government (USG) has been a major supporter of IRRI through the Consultative Group on International Agricultural Research (CGIAR), the coordinating organization through which funds for international agricultural research are administered to the 15 CGIAR centers around the globe.The USG has long viewed IRRI as a cornerstone of CGIAR because of the enormous contribution of rice to global food security, especially in Asia. IRRI is also a beneficiary of USDA and USAID support.

Today I spoke at the Trade Investment Mission on behalf of the USDA. USDA Trade and Investment Missions (TIMs) target emerging markets and free trade agreement (FTA) countries to promote two-way trade and investment. The mission provides U.S. participants with focused one-on-one meetings with host country business representatives. The mission also helps to identify business opportunities and address trade barriers. More than 20 U.S. agribusiness companies will participated in today’s TIM.

Before embarking on two site visits in the afternoon, I met with Philippines President Gloria Arroyo and Secretary of Agriculture Arthur Yap. During our meeting I announced plans for $8.5 million in international assistance under USDA’s Food for Progress Program for the Philippines in the aftermath of recent typhoons that have caused severe flooding in the country.

In the afternoon, I visited the Universal Robina Corporation’s (URC) Flour Milling Plant. The URC facility is only one of two fully automated flour milling plants in the Philippines. The URC Flour Division is one of the top flour millers in the Philippines and approximately 95 percent of all wheat used in this facility is from the United States.

After my visit to the URC Flour Milling Plant, I traveled to Sagad Elementary School to deliver food to students who had been affected by the recent natural disasters in the region. I leave tomorrow for China where I will attend a meeting of the U.S.-China Joint Commission on Commerce and Trade (JCCT) to discuss agricultural trade.

U.S. Department of Agriculture Secretary Tom Vilsack

Permalink  |  Posted: 11:53AM Oct 26, 2009 by USDAblogger in USDA Web Site  |  Add Your Comment Here [0]

USDA launches National Institute of Food and Agriculture and a New Era in Agricultural Science

Today we are formally launching a new enterprise in USDA science, a National Institute of Food and Agriculture (NIFA).  NIFA will be a real agent of transformation in how we do science at USDA, not just in this new agency, but across the board.  As I reflect on this pivotal moment for USDA science, I am reminded of another transformative episode in USDA history:  the Morrill Act of 1862 that created the land-grant university system that has been the scaffold for building the research enterprise we have today. 

Most of us know the basic history of the Morrill Act – passed by Congress and signed into law by President Lincoln in 1862 to establish land-grant universities “to teach such branches of learning as are related to agriculture and the mechanic arts.”  The 15 years it took to pass this Act, represent the steadfast political will and tremendous commitment from all the stakeholders for American agriculture, who recognized the importance in creating the land-grant system.  In 1862’s agrarian society, the land-grant universities were instrumental in developing new technologies and also putting those technologies into practice by farmers.  This allowed us to improve our agricultural productivity and establish ourselves as leaders in a global economy. 

Today, we need to continue to focus on improving agriculture productivity – but we see a broader range of challenges we have the capability to solve: sustainability of our natural resources, energy independence, child health, food safety, and global hunger and food security.  In launching NIFA today, President Obama and Secretary Vilsack are following Lincoln’s example and putting science at the forefront to create a better world.Secretary Vilsack often refers to the USDA as an “every day, every way” department.  One way in which USDA is working to solve every day problems that American citizens face is through agricultural science.  I am excited to say that right now we have a great opportunity to not only transform the way we approach science, but also to transform how we apply that science to improve the nation’s, and even the world’s, quality of life.

There are three keys to this transformation:  We will frame our issues in terms of big, bold challenges that require us to enlarge the scope of our work; we’ll be working on large projects where we see great potential for breakthroughs on a scale we haven’t imagined before; and we’ll pick research where we know the impact on human health and wellbeing can be tangible and meaningful.  In order to ensure we are on track and setting appropriate research priorities using these principles, I have begun a top-to-bottom review of all USDA science assets.

NIFA will work with the best and brightest scientists to find innovative solutions to global problems.  With a timely, integrated approach and collaboration with other federal agencies, NIFA will also serve as a vital contributor in science policy decision-making.  In a show of support for NIFA, officials from the White House, Departments of Energy and State, the National Institutes of Health, the National Science Foundation and the Food and Drug Administration will be attending our launch event today with Secretary Vilsack.  I encourage you to watch the webcast of today’s event to learn how NIFA will work with these federal science partners to leverage our research investment to achieve maximum impact.

While the focus today was on launching NIFA, my commitment is to transform science at USDA more broadly and more systematically to deliver results to the American people.  I believe it is important that we refocus our science resources in ways that can bring fundamental change to the way we address some of the most vexing of society’s problems.  NIFA’s structure, for example, will be centered around problem-specific scientific disciplines, which allows us to better identify the research needed to yield scientific breakthroughs.  I see five key priority areas in which NIFA will focus significant resources to enhance agricultural sustainable production and global competitiveness:

·         Support for new science to boost U.S. agricultural production and improve the global capacity to meet the growing demand for food, will allow us to address global food security and hunger facing many vulnerable populations around the world.

·         NIFA will help fund the creation of scientific information that producers need to plan and make decisions to adapt to changing environments caused by climate change.

·         In support of President Obama’s goal of energy independence, NIFA will work to develop and sustainable energy source through biofuels, biomass and bio-based products research.

·         By ensuring that nutritious foods are affordable and available and that families are able to make informed, science-based decisions about their health, NIFA will work to combat childhood obesity.

·         NIFA’s support of new research of microbial resistance and development of new food processing technologies will help ensure that American’s have access to a safe food supply.

Agricultural science lays the foundation to solving your everyday problems, but in order to realize those benefits we will need that steadfast will and commitment. Today was a groundbreaking day for all of us at USDA as we refocus our science resources and efforts.  From agricultural production, nutrition and food safety to energy independence and the sustainability of our natural resources, I am confident that NIFA’s investment in science will help secure America’s future.

Rajiv Shah,

USDA Under Secretary for Research, Education, and Economics

 

Permalink  |  Posted: 12:59PM Oct 08, 2009 by USDAblogger in USDA Web Site  |  Add Your Comment Here [2]

Rural Tour Visits California’s Central Valley

Secretary Vilsack meets with business owners and United Farm Workers

Today, Secretary Vilsack and Deputy Secretary Merrigan met with leaders and members of the United Farm Workers at Monterey Mushroom, a company located on the edge of California’s Silicon Valley. The roundtable discussion involving 27 workers and eight growers is part of USDA’s ongoing effort to communicate with disadvantaged and underserved communities. The meeting began with a moment of silence for farm worker champion, Senator Ted Kennedy.

As Shah Kazemi, CEO of Monterey Mushroom, spoke about the contributions of workers to the success of his company, the growers in attendance nodded their heads in agreement. Mr. Kazemi highlighted the need for highly skilled workers and the investments his company made in its employees through extensive training. The result is a mutually beneficial relationship between the workers and employer and a low rate of turnover. Secretary Vilsack said during the meeting, “without workers you don’t have companies and without companies you don’t have workers” to emphasize the importance of partnerships in the agricultural industry.

A thirty-four year employee of Monterey Mushroom, Rogelio Lona, spoke about the great pay and benefits he receives from his employer. But, he shared his concern for “other workers who are paid much less and suffer under the sun without shade and water.” Secretary Vilsack took careful notes throughout the meeting and thanked the farm workers for their commitment and sacrifice they make to feed this nation. Jim Cochran, President of Swanson Berry Farm, stood before the group and said, "I am almost speechless to hear from a Secretary of USDA who understands our concerns and wants to work with growers and workers to find solutions." Mr. Cochran added, "Mr. Vilsack, now I know why you are Secretary of USDA."

The meeting concluded with photographs of the workers with the Secretary and Deputy Secretary and UFW President Arturo Rodriguez.

Permalink  |  Posted: 09:10AM Aug 31, 2009 by USDAblogger in USDA Web Site  |  Add Your Comment Here [3]