California Welcomes Deputy Secretary Merrigan
By: Paul Lehman
The Farm Bureau and other agricultural interests welcomed Kathleen Merrigan, the newly-appointed USDA Deputy Secretary during her California visit June 10 – 11, 2009. Merrigan travelled to the west coast to connect with a broad spectrum of ag constituencies and listen to their concerns during a two-day trip.
During her first official visit outside of Washington, D.C., Merrigan’s busy schedule included 14 visits with a variety of groups and agricultural leaders in northern California.
Her message for the Golden State was that times are tough, but it’s possible to work our way out of this economic difficulty. "I came here with a message to California producers," said Merrigan. "We feel your pain and we are working on solutions to your problems. USDA is your partner in this, so let's collaborate and see what we can do as a team."
While visiting with farmers and ranchers at the California Farm Bureau, she heard from dairy farmers suffering under low milk prices, ranchers hurt by rangeland drought, and crop producers feeling the effects of high input and fuel costs, and low water allocations. Laboring under the effects of three years of drought, California has over 250 major crops supported by a water system that is highly dependent on federal and state irrigation canals. The canals convey north state water to the fertile central valley and cities further south.
At a meet-and-greet event at the USDA office in Davis, staff from FSA and the other agencies gathered to welcome the Deputy Secretary. Merrigan thanked each employee for coming and spoke personally to each agency team.
Researchers at the Western Human Nutrition Research Center welcomed Merrigan to their facility at the University of California, Davis, and briefed her on various metabolic studies including the role of nutrition on immune function, inflammation and DNA. Accompanied by former USDA Deputy Secretary Richard Rominger, she toured the center's "metabolic kitchen" and labs where human nutrition studies are conducted.
"We have a president and a first lady who are personally very interested in health and diet, and very compelled by the childhood obesity crisis," said Merrigan during a brief news conference at the center. She referenced the encouraging "fresh food" emphasis shown by the planting of the White House's new vegetable garden. Merrigan also explained that she left an assistant professorship at Tufts University School of Nutrition Science and Policy in Boston before joining the USDA. Tufts and Davis are two of the six human nutrition research centers funded by USDA Food and Nutrition Service in the United States.
In visits with producers, leaders of agricultural organizations and with USDA staff, she repeated a message throughout her California trip. "It's tough right now. I'm seeing that in California as well as other states," said Merrigan. "But at the same time I'm seeing lots of optimism. We know it's time to get together and roll up our sleeves and begin doing what needs to be done."
Stops on the Deputy Secretary’s busy tour included the California Farm Bureau's Policy Advisory Committee meeting, a nationally-recognized agricultural bio-sciences lab, a Yolo County diversified farming operation, a county Resources Conservation District meeting, a media event at the Forest Service Wildland Fire Training Center, a farmers market in downtown Sacramento, a California Ag Council Board Meeting, a visit with Farmer's Rice Cooperative management, and a tour of both a rice mill and a USDA-certified agricultural inspection station at the Port of Sacramento.
On the last day of her trip, local network television affiliates and print media covered Deputy Secretary Merrigan's announcement of additional Recovery Act projects for Wood-To-Energy and biomass utilization. This event was held at the Forest Service's fire-fighting training center. These 30 Recovery Act projects, funded at $57 million ($49 million for wood-to-energy grants and $8 million for biomass utilization) are located in 14 states, including California.
To learn more about Kathleen Merrigan, read her biography.
Staff from the FSA State Office meet with Deputy Secretary Merrigan during her visit. (Left to right) Jan Kolvet, David Schaad, Joanne Fong, Brian Laughlin, Deputy Secretary Merrigan, Jim Crean, Jennifer Barrows, Larry Plumb and Paul Lehman.
Jane Dewey (left) of Dewey Farms in Yolo, California, chats with Deputy Secretary Merrigan (right) at the Sacramento farmers market and provides her first-hand input on agricultural issues.