I’m learning a lot this morning. Like that there’s a U. S. Tuna Foundation. I’m a major supporter I guess since tuna is a weekly staple of my diet. These folks beat even USDA today with an announcement about their new MyPyramid for Kids launch.
My Market News From USDA
Agriculture Secretary Mike Johanns today announced that USDA’s new market news web portal is on line and providing instant, real-time access to daily and historical reports on agricultural commodities. The new portal is at: http://marketnews.usda.gov.
MyPyramid Lacking In “Buzz”
What’s the buzz about the USDA Food Guide Pyramid? Not much according to a recent report by BuzzMetrics, the word of mouth advertising measuring and tracking people. In fact they characterize it as “indifferent.”
Johnson New Deputy Under Secretary
How many of you know Allan Johnson? Congratulate him for his new role at USDA!!
New Promotion Board Appointments
Secretary of Agriculture, Mike Johanns was busy making appointments again this week.
U. S. Peanuts Rock The Competition
Agricultural Research is published by USDA’s Agricultural Research Service. In this month’s issue the results are in for a peanut taste test and the United States wins! The competition was China and Argentina. Let me hear you, “We will, we will, rock you!”
New USDA Communications Staffers
The USDA office of communications has some new staff members. Kristin Scuderi will serve as Deputy Press Secretary; Harry Phillips serves as Director of Speechwriting and Jessie Nicholson as Speechwriter in the department.
Welcome to the staff!
New Checkoff Board Appointments
U. S. Secretary of Agriculture, Mike Johanns, was in an appointing mood this week. He made quite a few appointments. I’m just posting the new ones. You’ll have to visit their website to find the re-appointments.
Almost 1.1 million U S Farms Have Internet Access
It’s really official that 51 percent of U S farms have internet access now! That’s up 3 percent from 2003. The percentage of increase is smaller than in past surveys showing some levelling off in farms obtaining internet access. This makes some sense when you consider that the average age of a farmer continues to move upward. I can’t see the number declining though and at 51 percent that means that almost 1.1 million farms are online! That’s a significant number.