USDA Launches Local Food Initiative
The USDA has announced a new initiative - 'Know Your Farmer, Know Your Food' - to begin a national conversation to help develop local and regional food systems and spur economic opportunity.
According to Agriculture Secretary Tom Vilsack, the initiative will help to create jobs and revitalize local communities by expanding local food processing, marketing, infrastructure, storage, and transportation facilities, as well as helping institutions purchase food locally and expanding community and urban gardens.
The 'Know Your Farmer, Know Your Food' initiative, chaired by Deputy Agriculture Secretary Kathleen Merrigan, is the focus of a task force with representatives from agencies across USDA who will help better align the Department's efforts to build stronger local and regional food systems.
In the months to come, cross-cutting efforts at USDA will seek to use existing USDA programs to break down structural barriers that have inhibited local food systems from thriving.
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Agriculture Secretary Vilsack Names Members to
National Organic Standards Board
Agriculture Secretary Tom Vilsack has announced the appointment of Oklahoman Annette Riherd, along with four other new members, to the National Organic Standards Board (NOSB).
An organic fruit and vegetable farmer from Oologah, Riherd is also an advocate for buy fresh/buy local and organic and direct marketing.
She and the other new appointees will serve terms beginning Jan. 24, 2010, and ending Jan. 24, 2015. The other appointees are:
Joe Dickson, an organic retailer from Austin, Texas, who is currently Certification Director of Whole Foods;
Jay Feldman, an environmentalist from Washington, D.C., currently Executive Director of Beyond Pesticides, with nearly 30 years experience in environmental issues;
John Foster, an organic handler from McMinnville, Ore., who works for Earthbound Farms and also has a strong farming background and experience as an organic inspector;
Wendy Fulwider, an organic farmer from Viroqua, Wis., who has worked to develop animal standards for the organic industry; and USDA's Agricultural Marketing Service oversees the National Organic Program (NOP) and the NOSB. The NOSB includes four producers, two handlers, one retailer, three environmentalists, three consumers, one scientist, and one certifying agent. The Board is authorized by the Organic Foods Production Act of 1990 and makes recommendations to the Secretary of Agriculture regarding the National List of Allowed and Prohibited Substances for organic operations. The NOSB also may provide advice on other aspects of the organic program.
The NOP is responsible for regulating the fastest growing segment of U.S. agriculture, the organic industry. U.S. sales of organic foods have grown from $1 billion in 1990, when the Organic Foods Production Act established the NOP, to a projected $23.6 billion in 2009.
Congress increased NOP funding to $2.6 million in FY08 and to $3.2 million in FY09.

Kerr Center President Jim Horne Receives Public Service Award

Kerr Center president Jim Horne received the 2009 Public Service through Economics Award during the annual meeting of the Northeastern Agricultural and Resource Economics Association, June 7-9 in Burlington, Vermont.

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