Tribal Nations Gather at USDA for Open Dialogue

In celebration of American Indian Heritage Month the U.S. Department of Agriculture today reported that there are nearly 80,000 American Indian operators on 61,472 farms and ranches across the United States. This represents an 88-percent increase over the number of American Indian farmers USDA counted in 2002.

And today, Secretary Vilsack welcomed tribal leaders and members from across the country to the USDA today to participate in a forum with Agriculture Deputy Secretary Kathleen Merrigan and USDA's senior leadership team. The forum was created with a goal of facilitating a dialogue between tribal representatives and the Department and to allow tribes to learn more about the wide variety of programs USDA administers.

Tribal leaders addressed a wide array of concerns and topics ranging from US Forest Service collaboration to water and utility resources in rural areas. It was a learning experience for the USDA as well as the native people of America have been working the land and practicing adaptive management techniques in agriculture for centuries.

Joe Kennedy of the Timbisha Shoshone Tribe highlighted the contribution of Native American agriculture when he pointed out that two-thirds of food now in common consumption originated with native peoples and now that food – corn, beans, etc – feeds a large portion of the world.

Antone Minthorn, a Cayuse Indian representing the Confederated Tribes of the Umatilla Indian Reservation, discussed the challenges of enrolling in NRCS programs due to the limited enrollment timeframes. Lands held in tribal trust by the Bureau of Indian Affairs have an extended process regarding leases and the process often prevents tribes from participating in certain land resource conservation programs.

Tony Wounded Head, a council member from the Pineridge Oglala Lakota Nation, asked that the USDA provide more information on climate legislation and the potential for tribes to benefit from carbon credits. The Pineridge reservation has an unemployment rate of 85% among its 45,000 residents and he believes that carbon credits can ensure a strong future for his people.

The forum was held in advance of the White House Tribal Nations Conference.

 

Permalink  |  Posted: 03:57PM Nov 04, 2009 by USDAblogger in USDA Web Site  |  Add Your Comment Here [0]

Town of Fort Kent, Maine Utilizes Recovery Act Funds

In April 2008, flood waters swept through Fort Kent, Maine, damaging infrastructure and preventing emergency crews from accessing several existing water and wastewater facilities. As a result of the rising flood waters, the facilities sustained damage severe enough that they no longer met health and safety codes, leaving the community vulnerable should similar events occur in the future. The Town was in need of financial assistance for upgrades.

 

Help came in the form of American Recovery and Reinvestment Act loan and grant funds totaling $3,136,000 from USDA Rural Development, as well as funds provided by the Maine Emergency Management Agency. As a result of the investment, the Town of Fort Kent will be able to replace the damaged and inadequate facilities and equipment with new ones designed to meet current regulatory codes and standards.  The result will be infrastructure that can withstand a similar flood incident should one occur in the future.

 

 

A Maine building, heavily damaged by flood waters 

 

Also in Maine, “Cramped” and “tiny” are two words that have been used to describe Maine Rural Water Association’s current headquarters in the Fort Andros building in Brunswick. 

 

Now the Association will have a new and spacious place to call home thanks to $500,000 in Recovery Act funds through USDA Rural Development.

The building, located in Richmond, Maine, is being renovated to suit their needs. The 4,000 square foot space comes just in time for the Association to celebrate its 30 year anniversary- and this is the first time in as many years that the Association will have its very own office!

 

The new location will include a training facility for water system operators, superintendents, and trustees, and allow for expanded services and adequate parking for its clients.

 

The Maine Rural Water Association provides training and technical assistance to 2,200 community water systems and approximately 150 wastewater facilities across the state of Maine. An Open House is planned for spring 2010. 

 

“This is a big step for MRWA.  We have always rented spaces and made them work for us. This space will be contoured to the needs of our membership, " said Kirsten Hebert, Deputy Executive Director, Maine Rural Water Association.

 

Permalink  |  Posted: 11:14AM Oct 16, 2009 by usdablogger in USDA Web Site  |  Add Your Comment Here [1]

Fighting for Family Farmers at Farm Aid 2009

Family farmers from throughout the country descended into St. Louis over the weekend for the 24th annual Farm Aid Conference. Stars including Willie Nelson, Neil Young, John Mellencamp, and Dave Mathews were on hand to shine a spotlight on the struggles that small- and mid-sized farmers face.

Agriculture Deputy Secretary Kathleen Merrigan was on hand to highlight the Obama Administration's commitment to supporting family farms. She spoke about how various USDA initiatives, including Rural Tour being led by Secretary Vilsack, 'Know Your Farmer, Know Your Food,' and the Recovery Act, are helping producers and rural communities throughout the country.

Despite the challenges that many farmers are currently facing, there was a genuine sense of optimism from the attendees because they sensed there were also great opportunities.

As Merrigan spoke, there was great enthusiasm for the new 'Know Your Farmer, Know Your Food' initiative as Farm Aid seeks to rebuild local food systems and better connect producers with consumers.

"Farmers face overwhelming challenges as they work each day to put food on our tables, and Farm Aid's ongoing efforts on behalf of family farmers have helped put a human face on this vocation," said Agriculture Deputy Secretary Kathleen Merrigan. "At the same time, there is a bright future for small- and mid-sized producers because there is an agricultural renaissance taking place in America. More and more consumers are wanting to better connect with their producers, and USDA's new 'Know Your Farmer, Know Your Food' initiative helps to accomplish that goal," said Merrigan.

Permalink  |  Posted: 12:12PM Oct 07, 2009 by USDAblogger in USDA Web Site  |  Add Your Comment Here [0]

Rural Tour fostering a nationwide discussion on rural issues

Since the first event in June, we've been excited to see the Rural Tour generating really thoughtful conversation and debate on the issues facing rural America. At town hall forums across the nation, Secretary Vilsack and his counterparts across the government have met with large, sometimes overflow, crowds. They've been able to answer questions and engage in productive debate on the best ways to help rural America.

And, people are starting to notice:

Charlotte Observer: Civility and respect rule at bipartisan town hall meeting
Breaking a pattern of raucous encounters across the country, more than 600 people Monday attended a town hall meeting marked by civility, substance and even bipartisanship.

Republican U.S. Sen. Richard Burr and Democratic U.S. Rep. Larry Kissell joined two Cabinet secretaries in fielding questions from an overflow audience at Richmond Community College.

PoliticsDaily: Tom Vilsack's Farm-Country Tour: A Different Kind of Town Hall
Health care town-hall meetings are certainly stealing the spotlight these days -- but they're not the only game in town. Mostly unnoticed, a quieter series of town halls is taking place on a different crisis: Secretary of Agriculture Tom Vilsack has embarked on a listening tour through rural America to hear about the problems facing farmers. And it's a good thing too, because back on the farm, all is not well.

On Wednesday at the Iowa State Fair, a group of farmers gathered from all over the state. Walking straight past the 1,000-pound squash, a 600-pound butter sculpture of a cow and the stand selling fried Milky Way bars, the farmers sat down to detail some of the problems they were facing to their former governor.

Quad City Times: Vilsack Returns To Iowa Fair, Talks About Rural Issues
Wednesday's rural issues forum at the Iowa State Fair featuring U.S. Secretary of Agriculture Tom Vilsack lacked some of the fireworks that have accompanied health-care forums around the nation. This forum was more polite, with the former Iowa governor telling about the Obama administration's policies and farmers asking questions about specific programs, such as a recent announcement by the U.S. Department of Agriculture that it would give borrowers more leeway to restructure loans.

This forum was more polite, with the former Iowa governor telling about the Obama administration's policies and farmers asking questions about specific programs, such as a recent announcement by the U.S. Department of Agriculture that it would give borrowers more leeway to restructure loans.

Richmond County Daily Journal: Elected leaders touch on issues
The emerging green economy, school nutrition and healthcare were just some of the subjects discussed at a meeting that followed the White House’s Rural Tour event at Cole Auditorium Monday.

The four-person panel consisted of U.S. Sen. Richard Burr and U.S. Rep. Larry Kissell and two Obama cabinet members: Education Secretary Arne Duncan and Agriculture Secretary Tom Vilsack.

The purpose of the Rural Tour is to listen to the concerns of individuals in rural areas, and share what the administration is putting in place to answer those concerns. The meeting at Cole was scheduled to focus on education and workforce development.

Permalink  |  Posted: 03:58PM Aug 20, 2009 by USDAblogger in USDA Web Site  |  Add Your Comment Here [1]