Students Get Schooled by Schools of Fish

From the USDA:

Posted by Damon Thompson, Communications Director, Research, Education, and Economics, on January 27, 2015 at 4:00 PM

USDA Under Secretary Cathie Woteki reviews the hydroponic garden at Food and Finance High School in New York City, which is fed nutrients from sediment collected in Dr. Warner’s basement fish tanks and pumped up four floors to the garden.

This post is part of the Science Tuesday feature series on the USDA blog. Check back each week as we showcase stories and news from USDA’s rich science and research portfolio.

Schools of fish may be common things to see, but watching some fish school high school students from a basement in Manhattan’s West Side is a different experience altogether. Cathie Woteki, USDA’s Chief Scientist and Under Secretary for Research, Education and Economics, observed such a program recently during a visit to Food and Finance High School in New York.

There on West 50th Street, Cornell University operates laboratories that represent the latest in scientific technology to raise fresh, clean fish in addition to garden produce in a sustainable urban setting. Renowned Cornell scientist and educator Philson Warner developed a system for continuously re-circulating and reconditioning water to raise more than 10,000 tilapia and other fish at a time in the basement lab. The nutrient-rich water from the fish is then transferred to a hydroponic garden located a few floors up on campus. That garden produces nine types of lettuce, Chinese cabbage such as bok choi, and a variety of herbs that include sweet basil, oregano, thyme and parsley. The plants then clean the water, which is sent back to the fish.

Cornell University scientist and educator Philson Warner shows USDA Under Secretary Cathie Woteki his system of nutrient-enriched fish tanks in which he raises 10,000 tilapia at a time from the basement of Food and Finance High School in Manhattan.

Food and Finance High School is a specialized institution that offers its students a hands-on introduction to the restaurant business and food industry. As a part of that experience, student interns spend 4 to 8 hours a week working as lab technicians in Dr. Philson’s facility, donning white lab coats and clipboards to monitor and maintain its production. The students are able to do independent studies in chemistry and other sciences based on their work in the lab. Dr. Philson says every single intern who has worked with him over the last three years has gone on to college.

A few of the tilapia being raised in Dr. Warner’s indoor tanks.

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A Year of Promise for American Agriculture

From USDA:

Posted by Agriculture Deputy Secretary Krysta Harden, on December 19, 2014 at 2:00 PM

It’s not hard to list our accomplishments here at USDA: After all, our progress on the much anticipated 2014 Farm Bill has been lauded as “the most successful Farm Bill implementation.” We also launched a website for New Farmers and started a conversation with women in agriculture that will continue to grow for many years to come.

What is sometimes less obvious is the people whose lives these programs and initiatives impact. So, to wrap up the year, I wanted to share a few of my most cherished memories from my first year as Deputy Secretary.

1. This year, I was honored when Secretary Vilsack asked me to lead the team of USDA employees charged with implementing the Farm Bill and especially excited to work on provisions that impact veterans. I was also proud to announce last month that Karis Gutter will be USDA’s military liaison, a position created by the Farm Bill based on the strong demand for veterans to get into farming. Karis will be instrumental in helping people like disabled veteran and outdoorsman Jason Seaton of East Tennessee achieve his dream of bringing wildlife back to his farm.

2. Farming is a tough business especially when you did not grow up on the farm, but that didn’t stop Pam Schreiber from building her own diversified agricultural business, all while raising her three children. I had the privilege of meeting Pam last winter. Now the owner of Eight Mile Creek Farm in upstate New York, Pam produces more than 30 different kinds of fruits and vegetables, certified organic grass-fed beef, pork, and heritage chicken, as well as cage-free organic eggs. To help people like Pam find information and resources to help them get started, this year we launched www.usda.gov/newfarmers.

3. This past summer, I had the honor of traveling with the first-ever, all-female congressional delegation to Africa to focus on empowering women around the world through agriculture. I met a wonderful young woman named Yetemwork Tilahun who is working with USDA’s Feed Enhancement for Ethiopian Development project to boost milk production on her dairy farm through better feeding practices and farm management. Around the world, USDA is building strong communities and giving farmers the resources they need to do what they love.

4. This year also brought about a new discussion on women’s evolving role in agriculture and what lies ahead. At the White House, I gathered with women from different agricultural backgrounds to discuss ways to inspire the next generation of women leaders.

One woman in particular, Kate Danner, a young farmer in Illinois, is already thinking about what is going to happen to her family’s operation over the next 20 years. After completing her college degree, Kate worked up an innovative business plan for her family farm alongside her father. For the first five years of this plan, Kate works for her father. For the next five years, Kate and her father are joint partners. And for the final five years before full transition, Kate’s father works for her. This young woman continues to trail blaze in what has commonly been a very difficult conversation for parents and their children to have about succession planning.

5. This summer, the White House chose 17 individuals that represent the future of agriculture to honor at a Champions of Change event. Coming from both rural and urban backgrounds, these champions showcased the passion that is evident across all areas of the agriculture industry. For instance, Pierre Sleiman of California took his passion for science and technology and started a hydroponics business, while Fabiola Nizigiyimana started her agriculture career in the United States as a refugee.

I wish I could share the stories of every single person I met this year. Each one of them exemplifies the very best of agriculture and rural America. I am proud of all that USDA has accomplished in 2014, and look forward to seeing new faces and hearing more incredible stories in 2015.

A Potato's Eye on Idaho Agriculture

From USDA:

Posted by Vince Matthews, Idaho State Statistician, National Agricultural Statistics Service, on December 11, 2014 at 11:00 AM

Idaho potatoes – the phrase rolls off the tongue easily because Idaho leads the country in growing potatoes. Check back next week as we spotlight another state and the results of the 2012 Census of Agriculture.

The Census of Agriculture is the most complete account of U.S. farms and ranches and the people who operate them. Every Thursday USDA’s National Agricultural Statistics Service will highlight new Census data and the power of the information to shape the future of American agriculture.

When it comes to potatoes, Idaho is #1. Results of the 2012 Census of Agriculture confirmed it. According to the census, Idaho farmers led the United States in acres of potatoes harvested, at 345,217 acres. And believe it or not, this was done by only 794 farms. On these farms, 58 percent of the potato harvested acres were for the fresh market and 42 percent were for processing.

Of course, the other parts of our agriculture are no small potatoes either. Overall, in 2012 we had 24,816 farms in our state, and our farmers sold more than $7.8 billion worth of agricultural products. Nearly a third of that amount – $2.3 billion – came from milk sales. Only three states, California, Wisconsin, and New York, had more milk sales than Idaho. Idaho’s Gooding County ranked fourth in the nation for milk cow inventory. The 2012 census counted nearly 179,000 head of milk cows there.

When it comes to crops, barley is one of the biggest commodities grown in Idaho. Nearly a quarter of all U.S. barley came from our growers. In 2012, they produced more than 51 million bushels of this important crop. Nearly 600,000 acres of Idaho farmland were dedicated to barley. We were also one of the top states for winter wheat, with more than 738,000 acres.

We also have plenty of less conventional agriculture, which was captured by the census. For example, 74 farms raised peacocks and peahens in Idaho in 2012. We also had 276 farms that raised llamas and 20 farms that raised bison. This less conventional agriculture was not limited to livestock. In 2012, the census also counted six farms growing boysenberries and 13 farms with currants.

This is just a snapshot of Idaho’s agriculture. Our state has a lot more to offer from both the conventional and the less traditional sides of agriculture. To see more of Idaho’s 2012 Census of Agriculture results, check out www.agcensus.usda.gov.

The Women of Agriculture: Paving the Path for a New Tomorrow

USDA Blog Post:

Posted by USDA Deputy Secretary Krysta Harden, on March 28, 2014 at 4:00 PM

Agriculture Deputy Secretary Krysta Harden looks over olive blooms with Sandy Oaks Olive Orchard owner Sandy Winokur in Elemendorf, TX on Friday, Feb. 28, 2014. USDA photo by Melissa Blair.

During this year’s State of the Union address, President Obama laid out an important call to action for our country:

“This year let’s all come together, Congress, the White House, businesses from Wall Street to Main Street, to give every woman the opportunity she deserves, because I believe when women succeed, America succeeds.”

As Women’s History Month comes to a close, I would like to call attention to the remarkable work of women of agriculture. Not only are women the heart of many family farming operations across the country, women are starting and growing their own agricultural businesses– creating opportunity and economic growth for their families and in their local communities.

I have had the privilege of meeting many of these women.  Just last month, while in Texas, I met Sandy Winokur.  Sandy is a Ph.D., an artist, a farmer and a businesswoman.  Sandy decided to leave a career in the arts to move back to Texas and start an olive orchard, inspired by her time in the Mediterranean.  Today, Sandy’s orchard is home to thousands of olive trees, and her business sells everything from olive almond brittle to lip balm.

Pam Schreiber on her farm. USDA partnered with Pam as she received her organic certification.

I also had the pleasure of meeting Pam Schreiber, owner of Eight Mile Creek Farm, while traveling in New York.  In 2005, Pam set out to build her own diversified agricultural business, all while raising her three children.  She had no previous background in farming, but it was her deep connection to the land that inspired her to get started. She now produces more than 30 different kinds of fruits and vegetables, certified organic grass-fed beef, organic pork, organic heritage chicken, and cage-free organic eggs.

This month, I met with a new farmer from Georgia, Casey Cox.  Casey grew up in my hometown of Camilla, Ga., and returned home after college to work for the Flint River Soil and Water Conservation District.  She’s also working on her family farm – learning the ropes in her family’s vegetable, grain, peanut, and timber operation.  Casey’s passion is not just cultivating crops but also enhancing the process of agriculture by innovating in the field.

USDA continues to partner with these women to help them get started and grow their businesses. Women’s History Month is a great time to shine light on the hard work women in agriculture do each and every day. Agriculture is an incredibly rewarding career path and I hope these stories will inspire more women to enter into the field of agriculture in the future.

Casey Cox on her family farm. USDA partnered with Casey’s farm through the EQIP and AWEP programs, which (among other things) helps farmers optimize water use through emerging technologies.

High School Students Discover the Forest

USDA Blog Post:

Posted by Laura Kenefic and Jane Hodgins, Northern Research Station, U.S. Forest Service, on September 17, 2013 at 10:15 AM

In July, 19 students from Maine, Massachusetts, New York, New Jersey, Connecticut and Rhode Island participated in the week-long “Discover the Forest” camp, the first forestry camp for high school students at the University of Maine.

When you invite high school students into the woods, you set the stage for wonder, excitement and endless questions.

Organizers for “Discover the Forest,” a new venture sponsored by the U.S. Forest Service and the University of Maine, also hope that, in addition to learning about the forest, participants will discover career opportunities and set the stage for a more diverse and inclusive workforce in the future.

In July, 19 students from Maine, Massachusetts, New York, New Jersey, Connecticut and Rhode Island participated in the week-long “Discover the Forest” camp, the first forestry camp for high school students at the University of Maine. The camp was organized and hosted by the university’s School of Forest Resources with funding provided by the Forest Service’s Northern Research Station. Participants came from diverse backgrounds and places, including young women and minorities traditionally underrepresented in forestry, as well as those from rural and urban communities.

Thunderstorms knocked out power at the Tanglewood 4-H camp in Lincolnville, Maine, the day before camp was to begin, prompting University of Maine faculty and staff to quickly relocate the camp to the university campus. The new location gave students on-site access to the University Forest, Perch Pond and the Orono Bog Boardwalk. Northern Research Station scientists, faculty and a number of graduate students joined campers during the day for lessons and activities related to forest inventory, interpretative signs, recreation management, fish sampling, forest operations and forest management planning.

The students enjoyed evening campfires, swimming, nature walks and opportunities to talk to natural resources experts.

The students peppered their hosts with many thoughtful questions. They wanted to know what it means to be a wildlife manager, what a forester does on an average day, and how camp instructors became interested in their field of study.

“I think the most constructive things I learned at camp were how to identify trees, how to estimate a distance by counting my paces and the importance of the forest to streams and rivers,” said Discover the Forest camper Christopher Wilson of Hartland, Maine. “Everything we learned was interesting.”

USDA Rural Development Supports New York Water Quality Improvement Effort

USDA Blog Post:

Posted by Lee Telega, USDA Rural Development New York State Director, on September 6, 2013 at 10:40 AM

Water Quality Agreement: From left, Liz Van Buren, Saputo Dairy Foods; Richard Maxey, Delhi mayor; James Thompson, Delaware County; SUNY Delhi President Candace Vancko and U.S. Senator Kirsten Gillibrand. USDA Photo.

Late last month, I had the privilege of joining New York U.S. Senator Kirsten Gillibrand, Delhi College President Candace Vancko, Chairman James Thomson of Delaware County and Saputo Dairy Foods USA Manager Liz Van Buren to discuss the Center of Excellence in Watershed Applications and Technology Based Economic Revitalization (COE in WATER) Initiative.

The COE in WATER is an innovative partnership with the State University of New York (SUNY), the local business community as well as federal, state and local governments who are committed to stimulating economic development and creating jobs in rural upstate NY.

While I was there, I was able to share the good news that USDA Rural Development received authorization to assist in administering a nearly $2 million Appalachian Regional Commission (ARC) grant through the Rural Business Enterprise Grant (RBEG) program. This project will transfer post process municipal wastewater from the Village of Delhi Wastewater Treatment Plant into retention ponds for storage on the SUNY Dehli.  The water will then be utilized to irrigate college green space.  Utilizing the waste water in this manner allows the treatment plant to accept other sources of waste.  A local dairy processing plant and two other manufacturers in the village will now pursue expansion plans with the knowledge their increased waste streams can be handled by the village’s wastewater treatment plant. It is estimated the expanded businesses will create new jobs in the area.

Delhi is located in the sensitive watershed that provides drinking water to 12 million people of New York City and the metro area.  This partnership between the college and local community and economic interests not only protects such a valuable resource, but allows for business growth and opportunity in this rural part of upstate New York.

To learn more about this and other projects, please visit http://www.delhi.edu/community/coe/. To learn more about USDA Rural Development programs in NY please log on to: http://www.rurdev.usda.gov/NYHome.html.

FEMA Corps Members take part in DSAT Training (ID: 66154)

Queens, N.Y., May 10, 2013 -- FEMA Corps members, in Forest Hills, take part in a Disaster Survivor Assistance Teams (DSAT) training exercise. DSATs are streamlining FEMA's registration process by using iPads and cell phones to register disaster survivors on the spot. K.C.Wilsey/FEMA