USDA summer intern reflects on experience

Amy Sents spent the summer as an intern in the White House Liaison Office at USDA; she's a junior at Kansas State University.

When mapping out my plans for this summer, Washington D.C. was about the furthest from my mind, that is until I read an e-mail in early May from one of the assistant deans at my school. I had just completed a preliminary application process for a scholarship and was told by the committee that I needed a strong government experience in order to remain competitive. Less than a week later I received the e-mail announcing summer internships with USDA in Washington, D.C. With my ag background and interest in future employment with the department, this was the perfect opportunity. About three weeks later I interviewed with the White House Liaison Office, unaware until that point that such an office even existed in USDA.

Needless to say, since my arrival in early June, I have learned a LOT about the department and government operations. My responsibilities within the office have included answering the phone, scheduling appointments, and filing, but have also broadened to include larger, more long-range projects. One of these projects is assisting my boss and fellow mid-westerner, John Berge, with creating a taskforce to overhaul the current Boards & Commissions system. I have gradually been updating and reorganizing our files on these 200+ committees so the administration can make more educated decisions regarding budget, membership, and direction for these groups. As part of this process I have also vetted over 300 candidates for appointment to these boards.

Another task that this office fulfills is to update President Obama on activities going on within the department in the form of a weekly White House report. I have had the privilege of helping compile this report on two occasions.

Most recently I worked with my co-worker, Sam Liebert, and the Secretary’s office to schedule an Intern Appreciation Forum last Friday. You can read about the event on my blog that was posted Monday. I helped arrange the photographer, catering, and schedule.



One of the greatest things I have gained from this internship is all the networking I have done within the department, specifically within the Animal and Plant Health Inspection Service (APHIS.) John has been terrific to work for, especially as he wanted to help make this the best experience possible and encouraged me to assist on a couple projects in APHIS. One of these was a legislative research assignment in which I looked at all 2009 enacted bills from state legislatures to find bills that related to APHIS. I then summarized these into a few pages that will be included in an August newsletter to employees. A second project I was tasked with was to read through the transcripts from two National Animal Identification System (NAIS) listening sessions and summarize the concerns and positions of all producer or commodity groups present. This is an issue that I personally am very interested in, so I was eager to learn more about the concerns and suggestions for implementing such a program.

My time here has not all been spent working in USDA headquarters, though. One afternoon I and about ten other interns toured the Agricultural Research Service (ARS) facility in Beltsville, Maryland. It was really neat to learn about all the research projects ARS scientists have conducted- and to see some in action!

Looking back on the past eight weeks, I have had nothing short of a phenomenal experience. I am forever grateful to everyone who made this experience possible and to the entire team here for being so inviting and helpful. I owe a special thank you to everyone in the White House Liaison Office- Janice, Sam, and John, for making every day a new and fun adventure. I encourage any other students or young adults to apply for an internship here. USDA is a HUGE department- you just might be surprised at the opportunities that await you! With that, thank you USDA for providing me with this incredible experience and for making this a place to which I might someday wish to return.

-Amy Sents, White House Liaison Office Intern
Junior, Animal Science & Industry/Bioscience, Kansas State University

Posted at 10:31AM Aug 06, 2009 by USDAblogger in USDA Web Site  |  Comments[0]

Fourth Generation Cattleman Takes Advantage of Recovery Act Assistance

Justin Maxey comes from a long line of cattle farmers and has had every intention of continuing that legacy since he was a young boy. Now working in partnership with his father, this fourth-generation farmer owns 90 cows and 115 acres, and he hopes to continue growing.

“I grew up farming with my father and showing livestock as a kid,” said Maxey. “I love farming and have tended to my own cows since I was 12 years old.”

In 2006, he was able to purchase 45 cows and a home with 115 acres, in his hometown of Nowata, Okla., using both a USDA Farm Service Agency (FSA) Beginning Farmer and Rancher Direct Operating Loan (DOL) and Ownership Loan. Since then, Maxey has wanted to double his herd to increase his yearly profit margin. He applied for a second DOL but was told it could take a few months to be approved and funded. That all changed with the passing of the American Recovery and Reinvestment Act of 2009 (ARRA) – Maxey received a phone call in March 2009 only days after applying with news that his loan was approved and he would receive the funding in less than five days.

This DOL for $50,000 not only helped Maxey purchase 45 additional cows from a private seller, but it also allowed him to buy the hydraulic truck bed he desperately needed from a local equipment dealer. With the funds, Maxey can now continue making necessary feed purchases from his local feed supply store. His intent for expanding is to increase his yearly profits from selling calves to fund further investment in land and more farm equipment and cattle feed as needed.

Maxey looks to the future in making capital improvements to his home and acreage. His herd is made up of crossbred commercial cows, half of which are on pasture on his purchased land and the rest on leased land he shares with his father. He would like to see his business continue to grow and knows that financial resources are critical in making this happen.

“I would not have been able to buy these new cows and needed supplies without this loan,” added Maxey. “FSA’s loan programs are great and without them I would not be able to keep growing my cattle business.”

Maxey takes his cattle business very seriously even though it is only part-time, sharing his time operating the financial services contracting firm he owns, performing data collection and chattel appraisals for his clients. He earned a bachelors degree in agriculture business and finance from Oklahoma State University and is married with a newborn son. Maxey is part Cherokee Indian and qualifies to participate in FSA’s Socially Disadvantaged Farmer and Rancher Program.

Posted at 08:20PM Aug 05, 2009 by USDAblogger in USDA Web Site  |  Comments[0]

USDA employees contributing to United We Serve initiative

The Obama administration has called on Americans from all backgrounds and walks of life to work to improve their communities as part of the United We Serve project. Here at USDA, many of our more than 100,000 employees are doing their part. They are driven to serve, and proud to identify ways to use their skills to support their own communities.

Take a look at the great work two USDA employees are doing:

People’s Garden—Tom (Goodhue, MN)

Tom works at the Goodhue, Minnesota USDA Service Center. During his lunch break, he gets his hands in the soil of the vegetable garden of their own People's Garden. He often works alongside Kate, an employee of the local Soil and Water Conservation District, and others. So far, they have harvested 55 pounds of produce, including beets, green beans, yellow beans, squash, carrots, onions, carrots, onions, cucumbers, tomatoes and potatoes.

All of this nutritious food has been donated to 2 local food shelves, helping alleviate hunger in their community. Growing food in gardens also lowers the reliance on transporting food over long distances, which conserves energy.



Serving in a State Park—Larry (St. Louis, MO)

Larry and his wife are both members of the Missouri Back Country Horsemen Association. With their fellow Association members, they have devoted countless hours to trail improvements and trail monitoring, and have also been called upon to aid park rangers in locating lost hikers or fallen riders. Their bow saws, determination, and perspiration ensure that the trails through this beautiful land remain clean, clear and useable by all.

Posted at 04:44PM Aug 03, 2009 by USDAblogger in USDA Web Site  |  Comments[0]

Intern gives perspective on work, meeting with Secretary Vilsack

Amy Sents, a junior Animal Science major at Kansas State University, spent the summer as a USDA intern working in the Office of the White House Liaison. She joined about 100 other interns from around the country, as well as young people from Washington working with the D.C. Summer Youth Employment Program. Everyone had the opportunity last Friday to meet with Secretary Vilsack; Amy shares her experience this morning:



Friday morning I had the opportunity to meet Secretary Vilsack, along with approximately 100 of my counterparts located throughout USDA headquarters and surrounding offices. It was the first of what will hopefully become an annual Intern Appreciation Forum.

Introduced by the White House Liaison, John Berge, Secretary Vilsack spoke briefly to the interns and thanked us for our service to the department over the last few weeks. He spoke of how he started his career in public service by working on the campaign for then-Senator Joe Biden. He and his wife were assigned the duty of reaching out to young people. The Secretary encouraged each of us to be political activists, even as young adults, to ensure that our leaders are representative of us, their constituents. He also urged each of us to seriously consider coming back to work for USDA, in one manner or another.

Following the Secretary’s address, all of the interns had the opportunity to get their picture taken with him. It was a privilege to hear from the Secretary today, and even more of an honor to have been a part of the “Every Day, Every Way” team here this summer.

Amy Sents, USDA Summer Intern

Posted at 10:03AM Aug 03, 2009 by USDAblogger in USDA Web Site  |  Comments[0]

FSIS launches YouTube channel

Although USDA has its own page on YouTube, we're still looking to find as many ways to get public information out as possible. That's why the Food Safety and Inspection Service is online with a YouTube page of its own at www.youtube.com/USDAFoodSafety.

You'll be able to find video in English, Spanish and American Sign Language about all kinds of food safety issues -- how to prepare and store food, for example, or what to do with food after a natural disaster.

This is just one more part of the bigger effort to ensure Americans are eating safe food. Keep checking out the new page frequently as we upload important food safety messages for consumers and producers.

Posted at 05:03PM Jul 31, 2009 by USDAblogger in USDA Web Site  |  Comments[0]

Learning about rain barrels at the Healthy Garden Workshop

You may not know it, but the rain falling on your roof during storms can take a major toll on the environment.

When the rain runs off your home or apartment, it collects pollutants and debris -- and carries them directly into the nearest storm drain, beginning their journey to local bodies of water. In the mid-Atlantic, for example, storm runoff is a leading cause of pollution in the Chesapeake Bay.

One great way to protect the environment and conserve water is to collect the runoff in a rain barrel; this was the focus of today's Healthy Garden Workshop at the Peoples' Garden in Washington.



Volunteer experts from the Audubon Naturalist Society presented the purpose behind home rain barrels, and explained to two dozen visitors at the Peoples' Garden the usefulness for a homeowner of installing a rain barrel, including savings on water usage (and on the water bill!). They went over the many options available to people considering a rain barrel on their property, including the size of the barrel, necessary equipment, and the choice between home construction of a barrel and commercial purchase.





This is just one more way people can be involved in conservation from their homes. Every Friday at the Peoples' Garden outside the Jamie L. Whitten Building in Washington, USDA staff and volunteer experts are holding similar Healthy Garden Workshops, showing visitors many other tips to get involved in gardening and conservation.

If you're in town, stop by Fridays at noon to learn more about gardening, conservation, and how you and your community can help contribute to sustainable American agriculture.

Posted at 03:54PM Jul 31, 2009 by USDAblogger in USDA Web Site  |  Comments[0]

Vilsack, Sebelius announce new food safety strategies at Eastern Market

Secretary Vilsack went to Eastern Market, a fresh food market in Southeast DC today, along with Health and Human Services Secretary Kathleen Sebelius, to outline new food safety strategies being undertaken by the Obama Administration.

The Secretary pledged USDA support in making directives as clear as possible for beef plant inspectors, making it easier for USDA inspection teams in the field to inspect food for e-coli bacteria. Vilsack also announced food inspectors will start sampling "bench trim" -- beef left over from the first cuts of meat that are used to prepare ground beef -- for E-coli.

"Making prevention a priority is critical to reducing foodborne illness and one of the three food safety principles of President Obama's Food Safety Working Group," said Vilsack. "The actions we are taking today will result in safer food in our country, which means healthier children and less costly healthcare."

The effort to ensure the safety of America's food supply has been a priority for both Secretary Vilsack and the President since the beginning of the administration; Secretary Vilsack and Secretary Sebelius head the Food Safety Working Group, created to improve our approach to food safety and make Americans more aware of the ways in which they can keep their food safe.

Posted at 02:35PM Jul 31, 2009 by USDAblogger in USDA Web Site  |  Comments[0]

GardenERS Project -- a rooftop Peoples' Garden -- opens in Washington

The Peoples' Garden project came about to help show Americans the great things we can do in producing our food -- including sustainable growing practices, conservation techniques, and gardening skills. The national demonstration garden outside the Whitten Building in Washington has been a big hit, with visitors every week coming by to learn more about gardening and the best ways to do it.

Given the success of the original garden, everyone was excited today when Deputy Secretary Kathleen Merrigan cut the ribbon on a rooftop Peoples' Garden, dubbed the GardenERS project and perched atop the building which houses the USDA Economic Research Service offices at 18th and M Streets in Northwest Washington, DC.

Volunteers are going to work with the National Park Service to care for the park, which will feature native perennials and won't require any fertilizer. Plans are also in the works to garden edible plants inside the building in containers, demonstrating ways we can grow our food indoors or in small spaces.

The Peoples' Garden project is intended to expand, to show Americans what we can do on small, sustainably-managed pieces of land. You can always check out the Peoples' Garden on Twitter or the web site.

Posted at 04:14PM Jul 30, 2009 by USDAblogger in USDA Web Site  |  Comments[0]

Vilsack holds Health Care forum in Nashville, tours hospital

Secretary Vilsack traveled this morning to Nashville, Tennessee, where he had the opportunity to tour a local hospital and hold a roundtable discussion on the need for meaningful health care reform in the United States.

Vilsack toured the Nashville General Hospital with Dr. Reginald Coopwood, the CEO and Chief Medical Officer of the Metro Hospital Authority.; the two spoke about daily operations at the hospital, and Dr. Coopwald noted the problems families are facing in dealing with skyrocketing medical bills.

After the tour, the Secretary held the roundtable with Nashville residents, along with Nashville Mayor Karl Dean and Tennessee Health Commissioner Susan Cooper. The group heard from a number of Nashville-area residents struggling with health care costs. One man, who is unemployed and struggling to make ends meet, still has to pay $1000 per month for COBRA coverage for him and his wife. The stimulus package is helping, but it's not enough -- he's one of thousands of Americans who simply can't afford the health coverage they need.

Vilsack stressed that in rural America, it can be even tougher to get care than in urban areas due to the lack of access to providers -- and he pointed out that Americans living in rural areas are more likely to be uninsured.

"President Obama understands that each day that passes without health care reform means more Americans are unable to get the care they need, when they need it," he said. "The time has come to pass reform legislation that will reduce the soaring cost of health care and ensure that every American can access the health care they deserve."

Posted at 01:59PM Jul 30, 2009 by USDAblogger in USDA Web Site  |  Comments[0]

Check out Recovery Act stories from across the nation

Across the country, USDA is providing billions of dollars in project funding under the American Recovery and Reinvestment Act (ARRA or the "Recovery Act"). By going to the USDA Recovery site, you can visit your state blog to read about some of these projects, and the ways in which they're helping communities.

But we want to hear stories from you as well. On the USDA Recovery page, you can Tell Your Story -- what's working in your community? What isn't? How have the Recovery efforts impacted your life?

Posted at 04:45PM Jul 29, 2009 by USDAblogger in USDA Web Site  |  Comments[0]

Deputy Secretary Merrigan visits Washington food bank

Deputy Secretary Kathleen Merrigan visited the Capital Area Food Bank in northeast Washington this morning, to help highlight the President's United We Serve initiative and encourage Americans to serve their communities.

She also spoke directly to USDA employees, who are encouraged to participate in the Feds Feed Families program through August by bringing food to work:



Merrigan, joined by Transportation Secretary Ray LaHood and Interior Secretary Ken Salazar, reiterated the President's pledge to end childhood hunger by 2015 -- and the importance of the nation's food banks in that effort. At the same time, she noted, summer is often the hardest time for food banks to gather the resources they need to help the community.

This summer, that's one problem the Obama Administration is hoping to address as it kicks off the United We Serve program. When people find a local project, whether it's helping to gather food for a food bank, building a family a home, or working to clean up a park, everyone benefits. And although the hurdles are sometimes high, the Deputy Secretary and other attendees' summer Hawaiian shirts served as a reminder that volunteering this summer, with friends, family and neighbors, can be fun at the same time.

Posted at 05:19PM Jul 28, 2009 by USDAblogger in USDA Web Site  |  Comments[1]

USDA filmmaker David Black describes Afghanistan experiences

USDA filmmaker David Black traveled this spring to Afghanistan, where he produced a 17-minute film on the efforts of USDA agriculture advisors working in Afghanistan as part of intergovernmental Provincial Reconstruction Teams.

While he was away, he kept a personal journal about his experiences on the ground in Afghanistan. This excerpt is from April 28, 2009:


Our first visit of the day was to the Governor’s complex in Panjshir province, where we met with the province’s Agriculture Director.

We arrived, as usual, in a two-vehicle convoy including the requisite Provincial Reconstruction Team (PRT) military and Civil Affairs Team (CAT), our USDA Agricultural Expert, and our guards. The guards stayed with the vehicles while we were escorted to the Director’s office on the second floor of a large, well-built concrete structure. The office window looked out to a picturesque snowcapped mountain. The team sat around a conference table. We were offered tea and wrapped candies. The Director walked in, a gregarious man, small in stature, dressed in casual khaki, with a uniquely shaved goatee and a wide grin. He shook everyone’s hand and was excited to have the camera pointing in his direction. The group discussed ongoing projects in the area, success stories and allocation of resources to make some projects more effective. Then the Director personally escorted us to some successful projects in the district.

(Part 1 of 5; see the rest at USDA on YouTube)

First we visited a master beekeeper who was introduced to beekeeping by the PRT one year earlier. He was trained and given two hives to continue his training. He was so successful that he became the distributer and trainer for 400 families in the province. This enterprise gave families a model where they are able to provide bees to pollinate fruit trees and sell the honey produced by the hives. We were escorted into a mud-walled family compound and greeted by children of all ages. The beekeeper took the group through his cramped house, up some stairs and up to the roof. I heard a distinct buzzing that was obviously the excited bees.

The master beekeeper was proud to show us his hives, which he has increased from two to four. He opened some to show us a queen bee. He did this without any protective gear or smoker while bees encircled us! No one was stung and the visuals were outstanding. We also interviewed the beekeeper. Before we could reenter the house, however, the interpreter asked us to wait a few moments. As is custom, the man of the house ensured that the lady of the house was hidden from our view. Excited children and curious men are everywhere, but I have not seen a woman up close, even in a burqa, since I arrived in Afghanistan. In the villages, women distance themselves and walk on the side of the street opposite us or just avoid anywhere outside their homes altogether.

We said our goodbyes to the beekeeper. He offered us tea one last time and we thanked him and took our leave. He shook our hands and touched his right palm to his heart.

-David Black


Above, you can view the first part of this five-part series about the experiences of USDA personnel on the ground in Afghanistan. See the rest of the film, produced by Black and the rest of the USDA Broadcast Media and Technology Center, at the USDA YouTube site.

Posted at 05:58PM Jul 27, 2009 by USDAblogger in USDA Web Site  |  Comments[0]

Garden Sprouts kicks off alongside Healthy Garden Workshop

This afternoon in the Peoples' Garden at USDA, the weekly Healthy Garden Workshop was supplemented by a special new activity for kids: the Garden Sprouts program.

As the adults learned about weeding techniques and removal of invasive plants at the third weekly Healthy Garden event, kids were given a map to follow through six educational stations. They learned about the role of worms in a garden as they dug through soil, helped put ladybugs into the Peoples' Garden, and learned about seeds and how they work.



The kids talked about how food goes from the farm to their plates, and had the opportunity to meet with volunteers from D.C. kitchen, a local food bank and culinary training facility.

Throughout the entire mini-workshop, attendees gained a wealth of knowledge about the food they eat, and how it's grown. The Peoples' Garden exists to further this educational outreach -- you can always learn more about what we're doing in the Garden by checking out the Twitter feed, or visiting the Peoples' Garden web site.

Posted at 04:40PM Jul 24, 2009 by USDAblogger in USDA Web Site  |  Comments[0]

Vilsack joins in urban tour event in Philadelphia

Secretary Vilsack has been busy touring the country with other members of the Obama cabinet as part of the Rural Tour -- but yesterday, he traveled to Philadelphia to give a few words in an urban setting as well.

Joined by Commerce Secretary Gary Locke and Housing and Urban Development Deputy Secretary Ron Sims, Vilsack spoke on the need for cross-agency cooperation, as well as government-private sector cooperation, to combat problems such as nutrition deficiency and food deserts in urban settings. He touched on the many ways USDA programs and activities reach urban Americans, emphasizing that everyone in the United States is affected by the work of the Department of Agriculture every day, in every way.

Once again, as on the Rural Tour, there were lots of questions for the Secretary; people really do understand that what goes on at USDA has a direct effect on their livelihoods.

Posted at 09:35AM Jul 24, 2009 by USDAblogger in USDA Web Site  |  Comments[0]

Food and Nutrition Service marks 40 years

The same year astronauts set foot on the moon, USDA launched its own massive project to benefit the American people -- the Food and Nutrition Service (FNS).

This morning, former and current FNS employees gathered alongside USDA and Congressional leaders to mark the 40th anniversary of the agency's fight against hunger in the U.S. and abroad. FNS administers the Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program (SNAP) and the Women, Infants and Children program (WIC) food assistance programs, as well as school lunch and breakfast -- programs which have touched the lives of millions of Americans over the last four decades.



Deputy Secretary Kathleen Merrigan congratulated the agency and its employees, and outlined the Obama administration's goal to end hunger in America by 2015. She pointed out the impact school nutrition programs have had -- 170 billion lunches and 33 billion breakfasts have been served in public schools over the last 40 years -- as well as the vast expansion over time of the agency's mission (SNAP, which served about 3 million Americans each month in 1969, now serves more than 34 million each month).

After viewing a video message from Secretary Tom Vilsack, the crowd heard from Representatives James McGovern and Jo Ann Emerson, along with Robert Greenstein, Director of the Center on Budget and Policy Priorities. We were also joined by FNS Administrator Julie Paradis, who introduced a commemorative video of the agency's last 40 years, and Deputy Under Secretary Janey Thornton.

(Video content from the event will be made available later today).

Posted at 02:31PM Jul 23, 2009 by USDAblogger in USDA Web Site  |  Comments[0]