Acting Agriculture Secretary Chuck Conner announced 39 appointments to the Cattlemen’s Beef Promotion and Research Board. All appointees will serve 3-year terms beginning Feb. 3, 2008. Appointed members representing cattle producers by state are: Max Bozeman, Jr., Alabama; Weldon D. Wynn, Arkansas; Manuel Rodrigues, California; Harold A. Wick, Colorado; Sidney L. Sumner, Florida; Dan D. Hinman, Idaho; Paul L. Kent, …
Carl Winter’s Food Safety Music
How about a little food safety music to start your day? This is from Carl Winter at the University of California – Davis. He’s got several food safety themed songs available including lyrics and a powerpoint presentation. I thought you’d enjoy the USDA song. People, there’s no need to despair If you’re worried ‘bout your food, land, and air I …
Chris Connelly New USDA Comm Director
The USDA has a new Director of Communications and he’s Chris Connelly. Connelly replaces Terri Teuber Moore, who has been named the Deputy Director of Communications for Policy and Planning at the White House. “Chris Connelly brings broad experience in management and public policy communications, a shared belief in the importance of transparency and a commitment to continuing this department’s …
Watermelon Promotion Board Members Appointed
Acting Agriculture Secretary Chuck Conner appointed six producer and six handler members to serve on the National Watermelon Promotion Board. Two producer members have been reappointed for a second term, and four new producer and six new handler members have been appointed to serve on the board for the next three-year term of office beginning Jan. 1, 2008, and ending …
Acting Secretary Conner Visits NAFB
The NAFB Convention is underway and the Acting Secretary of Agriculture, Chuck Conner, started things off with remarks in a press conference. Here he’s being introduced by NAFB President, Pam Fretwell, WTAD/WKAN. Acting Secretary Conner had a lot to say about the farm bill which is really the main issue the administration is working on right now. As we’ve heard …
Bush Nominates Ag Secretary
President Bush made a surprise nomination for Secretary of Agriculture Wednesday afternoon – a little-known former governor from North Dakota, Ed Schafer. In making the announcement, Bush said, “Ed Schafer is the right choice to fill this post. He was a leader on agricultural issues during his eight years as the governor of North Dakota. He worked to open new …
Rural Lifestyle Info in Ag Census
One of the sources of a lot of information for anyone needing to research the rural lifestyle market is the USDA Census of Agriculture. You might think it’s just about corn, soybeans, hogs and cattle but you’d be wrong. According to Gene Danekas, Director of Ag Statistics, USDA-Missouri, (pictured on the left in his booth at the Country Living Olympics) …
Meeting Acting Ag Secretary Conner
I got my first opportunity to meet our Acting Secretary of Agriculture Chuck Conner today. He was the luncheon keynote speaker at the Cellulosic Ethanol Summit which is underway in Washington, DC. He addressed the group on the subject of what agriculture’s role is in building a national cellulosic industry. I caught up to him outside as he was leaving …
First Press Conference with Acting Ag Secretary
It didn’t go off quite as planned, but Acting Agriculture Secretary Chuck Conner held his first telephone press conference with the media on Monday afternoon. After a brief opening statement, it was opened to questions, but there weren’t any! Even though there were nearly 100 reporters on the line. That was because they apparently had some technical difficulties and an …
U. S. Secretary of Agriculture Resigns
Here in Japan the turmoil at their Ministry of Agriculture precluded our being able to meet with their Minister. Back home it looks like we’ve got a little turnover going on too. I just learned that Mike Johanns has resigned as our Ag Secretary. The picture of him here is from the recent Farm Progress Show. I’ve always been a …