USDA Blog

Earlier this week I participated in an Obama Administration Clean Energy Economy Forum in Arlington, Virginia with U.S. Secretary of the Interior Ken Salazar, Assistant Secretary of Energy for Energy Efficiency and Renewables Cathy Zoi, Virginia Governor Tim Kaine, U.S. Representative Gerry Connolly...

As you walk through the facilities at headquarters in Washington and in the field, it quickly becomes apparent that a new attitude has taken hold at USDA: A drive to use energy more efficiently. These efforts were noted by President Obama and the White House Council on Environmental Quality recently...

I have had an eventful couple of weeks since my last post. I spent a day two weeks ago in Riverdale, Maryland at the Animal and Plant Health Inspection Services building learning more about some of their programs. I particularly enjoyed meeting with two economists, as many of my college classes...

I had a chance this morning to testify before the House Agriculture Committee about USDA’s commitment to energy security for America. I shared the spotlight for this hearing with Under Secretary Tonsager, and together we impressed on our colleagues on the Hill the great challenges we have before us...

Amy Sents, a junior Animal Science major at Kansas State University, spent the summer as a USDA intern working in the Office of the White House Liaison. She joined about 100 other interns from around the country, as well as young people from Washington working with the D.C. Summer Youth Employment...

Secretary Vilsack visited Virginia today with Energy Secretary Steven Chu to discuss the many ways in which saving energy, developing green jobs and pursuing new biofuel alternatives will help to revitalize rural America.