WASHINGTON, Jan. 9, 2011-The U.S. Department of Agriculture (USDA) must be built to meet the evolving needs of a 21st century agricultural economy, Agriculture Secretary Tom Vilsack said Monday in presenting USDA’s Blueprint for Stronger Service, a plan that USDA says will help producers by streamlining the department’s operations and cutting costs.
[Video] Ag Secy Vilsack Discusses FSA Office Closures, other cost cutting measures
USDA Secretary Tom Vilsack announced measures this morning to, in the agency’s words, “build a stronger service.”
Due to many factors, including lower funding and staffing levels reflected in recent budgets passed by Congress, USDA must address its administrative costs, including its facility, office and lab operations, USDA is taking steps to cut costs and create more efficiency with the resources they have. You can find out more at the USDA’s Blueprint for Stronger Service site.
Checkoff dollars should be distributed more fairly among livestock groups
WASHINGTON (Oct. 20, 2011) – National Farmers Union and a coalition of organizations sent a letter to U.S. Secretary of Agriculture Tom Vilsack urging him to take steps to make funding for the Cattlemen’s Beef Board (CBB) more transparent and to ensure that more voices are heard when distributing checkoff dollars. The letter came as a result of a Sept. 27 meeting of ten agricultural organizations in Minneapolis.
“It is the recommendation of this group that seats be made available on all Joint Checkoff Committees for one representative from each national nonprofit industry-governed organization that would qualify as a checkoff contractor and desires to have a representative on the committee,” the coalition wrote. “These committee members would be allowed to engage in all deliberations of the committees; but would not have a vote on motions brought before the committee.”
