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| As the New Year began, the investigation of a BSE-positive cow slaughtered in Washington State in December overshadowed nearly all other events. Countless numbers of employees returned to work, canceling long-held vacation plans, all in order to reassure the public of the safety of America’s food supply. While daily briefings and updates were held until the investigation’s conclusion on February 9, Secretary Ann M. Veneman also launched USDA’s new website, unveiled President George W. Bush’s proposed FY 2005 budget for USDA, celebrated the 75th birthday of Dr. Martin Luther King Jr. and Black History Month, and spelled out USDA’s intention to focus on America’s obesity crisis in the months ahead. |
Dr. Martin Luther King Jr.: Secretary Veneman and USDA employees observed Dr. Martin Luther King Jr.’s actual 75th birthday on January 15. Here are excerpts of the Secretary’s speech: “Today we remember a man who contributed so much to Black History and who also changed world history.
 Secretary Ann M. Veneman (center) and Assistant Secretary for Civil Rights Vernon Parker (left) show their appreciation to Okianer Christian Dark, a professor of law at Howard University in Washington, DC, for her keynote address at USDA headquarters in observance of Black History Month. --Photo by Alice Welch |
“In 2001, the Harris polling company asked Americans who their heroes were. Out of all the public figures in human history, Martin Luther King Jr. ranked second, behind Jesus Christ.
“Dr. King lived the qualities he preached. They are qualities that too often are in short supply in our world: the qualities of equality, justice, courage, compassion, non-violence, and love.
“Dr. King lived a life of service, guided by a verse that he often quoted from the Book of Mark: ‘Whosoever will be great among you, shall be your servant and whosoever among you will be the first, shall be the servant of all.’ He reminded us time after time that everyone can serve in some way, no matter our background or our station in life.
“It is one of the many ideals of Dr. King that deserve celebration, not just on his birthday but every day, and not just in this country, but all around the world. In fact, according to the King Center in Atlanta, there will be programs commemorating the birthday of Martin Luther King Jr. in more than 100 nations. President Bush has said: ‘There is still a need for us to hear the words of Martin Luther King, to make sure the hope of America extends its reach into every neighborhood across this land’.”
Top Agricultural Research Service Scientists Named:
Secretary Veneman named Nelson Cox, a USDA microbiologist
at Athens, Ga., as the Agricultural Research Service Distinguished Senior
Research Scientist of the Year for 2003. The announcement was made January
22.
Cox, based at ARS’s Poultry Microbiological Safety Research Unit in Athens, is being honored for poultry research accomplishments including developing technology to reduce foodborne pathogens in broiler chickens.
“During his 32-year career with ARS, Dr. Cox’s innovative research had helped to improve the safety of poultry that has benefited both consumers and the poultry industry,” Veneman said.
For information about other ARS scientists who were also recognized go to: http://www.usda.gov/Newsroom/0032.04.html
National Food Check-Out Day:
In 2004, the 37th day of the year fell on February 5, National Food Check-Out
Day. Secretary Veneman issued a proclamation reminding Americans that
the average consumer earns enough income to pay for all the food consumed
in one year in only 37 calendar days.
80th Annual Agricultural Outlook Forum:
Nearly 1,400 people gathered to hear what USDA experts had to say about
subjects ranging from trade to farm programs to nutrition to conservation.
Secretary Veneman’s keynote address focused on “Ensuring a Healthy Food
Supply” because of the increasing focus on diet and health issues in America,
and the potential impact of these trends on the food system.
“We cannot address these topics without discussing overweight and obesity, which are reaching crisis proportions, not only in the United States, but in countries all around the world,” she said. Citing figures from the Centers for Disease Control, Veneman said that the cost of treating health ailments linked to obesity cost our economy $117 billion in the year 2000--$61 billion in direct medical costs and $56 billion in lost productivity.
Despite advances in consumer education like the Dietary Guidelines, the Food Guide Pyramid, and mandatory nutrition labeling--to say nothing of the multitude of diet books on the market--“Americans have grown fatter,” she said.
“We have seen over the last 20 years that many Americans have made changes to match what they believe is consistent with good dietary advice: increase consumption of fruits, vegetables, and grains, and decrease consumption of fats and cholesterol.
“Despite those good intentions, what Americans have actually done, according to a recent Centers for Disease Control report, is to increases their intake of calories,” Veneman said.
With the food guidance symbol under review and the new Dietary Guidelines set for release in 2005, USDA aims to help Americans understand how they can make changes in their own diets to obtain better health, including a healthy weight.
To that end the Secretary announced that USDA will host a scientific conference in October with other federal agencies as partners, to specifically examine obesity prevention. •