grist.org - 9/17/2009
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by Tom Philpott What should we make of the USDA’s “ Know Your Farmer, Know Your Food ” initiative, which the agency rolled out this week?
USDA via Flickr After hearing USDA official Ann Wright’s remarks Tuesday in Chicago and reading through the press release , ...
obamafoodorama.blogspot.com - 9/24/2009
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obamafoodorama.blogspot.com —
Kathleen Merrigan wants to be the financial matchmaker
for the wedding of policy and paradigm sh ift...
Deputy Secretary of Agriculture Kathleen Merrigan just sent out a really exciting memo: "H arnessing USDA rural development programs to support ...
(more)
Getting Serious About Local and Regional Food: The USDA, ...
obamafoodorama.blogspot.com - 9/15/2009
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obamafoodorama.blogspot.com —
A week of special events for USDA's new
initiative: Sam Kass cooks lunch for the public; the
White House Farmers Market opens; School lunches get a big boost; USDA launches a new website.... Your intrepid blogger was with Deputy Secretary of ...
(more)
Obama Foodorama Joins Kathleen Merrigan for a Farm ...
usda.gov - 9/16/2009
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usda.gov —
USDA's Risk Management Agency announced $3.4 million in
funding for collaborative outreach and assistance programs to socially
disadvantaged and underserved farmers. These programs will support 'Know You Farmer' goals by helping producers adopt new ...
(more)
Release No. 0440.09
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Blog Reactions
Food & agriculture - Sept 17
Energy Bulletin - —
... for urban agriculture I handed out at the Urban Extension Educators conference when I spoke there in May. Let me know if this is useful, or how to improve it!... (11 Sept 2009) Grist's Tom Philpott has this to say about this initiative: "After getting more details about the USDA's new "Know Your Farmer, Know Your Food" program, I'm both encouraged and skeptical. It's a great start, but the government's farm programs are still overwhelmingly tilted in favor of Big Ag..." Read more here -KS ...
Food & agriculture - Sept 24
Energy Bulletin - —
... summer on the Rural Tour (as well as handing out funding for hundreds of projects). Merrigan opens her memo by writing "I suspect that many USDA programs are under-utilized by those seeking to build local and regional food systems. I would like to play the role of matchmaker during this administration...I will work to help USDA program administrators to understand how our programs may better serve your efforts to build local and regional food systems..." (27 Aug 2009) See Grist's take on this whole initiative, which as we all keep saying, is at least "shifting the terms of ...
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