I can’t think of anyone more deserving of the National Association of Conservation Districts (NACD) and North American Pollinator Protection Campaign (NAPPC) Farmer Rancher Pollinator Conservation Award than Paul Kaiser of Singing Frogs Farm in Sebastopol, California. That’s why I was so excited when I found out he would be receiving the award in 2010! Read more »

Three months ago, President Obama celebrated the 20^th Anniversary of the Americans with Disabilities Act with poignant remarks, and the signing of an Executive Order on Increasing the Federal Hiring of Individuals with Disabilities. The Office of Personnel Management (OPM) will soon release guidance to agencies on how to meet the requirements of the Executive Order.  Meanwhile, Federal agencies hosted celebrations and educational events throughout October as part of National Disability Employment Awareness Month (NDEAM). Now, more than ever, people understand the importance of ensuring equal treatment and access for individuals with disabilities. Read more »

David Villano, assistant administrator of USDA’s Rural Utilities programs recently provided the keynote address to the 2010 Kansas Broadband Summit in Wichita.  The Summit, entitled “A Fully Connected Kansas – Mission Possible” addressed topics of telemedicine, government services, economic development, mapping and digital accessibility.  Over 180 attended including USDA Recovery Act broadband awardees Madison Telephone Co., LLC, NEX-Tech, and SC Telcom.  The purpose of the summit was to begin building a statewide sustainable broadband focus. Read more »

As Deputy Agriculture Secretary Kathleen Merrigan wrapped up a multi-state visit last week, she stopped in Kentucky where she announced the recipients for the Rural Microentreprenuer Assistance Program (RMAP) on Oct. 28. Read more »

Tornadoes take lives and cause hundreds of millions of dollars of damage each year in the U.S.

This post is part of the Science Tuesday feature series on the USDA blog. Check back each week as we showcase stories and news from the USDA’s rich science and research portfolio.

Every family should take steps to prepare for the disaster they hope never comes.  The Extension Disaster Education Network (EDEN) has recently made two new family disaster preparedness resources available. Read more »