[Congressional Record Volume 158, Number 122 (Wednesday, September 12, 2012)]
[Extensions of Remarks]
[Page E1501]
From the Congressional Record Online through the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]




   IN RECOGNITION OF ERIN DALY AND THE BEGINNING FARMER AND RANCHER 
DEVELOPMENT PROGRAM TEAM FOR RECEIVING THE 2012 USDA SECRETARY'S HONOR 
                                 AWARD

                                 ______
                                 

                      HON. SANFORD D. BISHOP, JR.

                               of georgia

                    in the house of representatives

                     Wednesday, September 12, 2012

  Mr. BISHOP of Georgia. Mr. Speaker, it is my great honor to extend a 
heartfelt congratulations to Ms. Erin Daly and the rest of the 
Beginning Farmer and Rancher Development Program team at the National 
Institute of Food and Agriculture for being selected to receive a 2012 
U.S. Department of Agriculture (USDA) Secretary's Honor Award in the 
category of ``assisting rural communities to create prosperity so they 
are self-sustaining, repopulating, and economically thriving.'' The 
team and its program leader, Dr. S. (Suresh) Sureshwaran, will be 
honored on September 12, 2012 at the Research, Education, and Economics 
(REE) Mission Area ceremony and the USDA 64th Annual Secretary's Honor 
Awards Ceremony, both in Washington, DC.
  I am especially pleased because Erin has served as a Brookings 
Institution Legis Congressional Fellow in my Washington, DC. office 
since January of this year. She works on issues including agriculture, 
particularly as it pertains to the Farm Bill and authorization issues; 
environment; food safety and Food and Drug Administration issues; 
nutrition/hunger; HBCUs; immigration; and trade. Not only is Erin a 
great asset to my office, but she has also become a steadfast resource 
for my staff and the constituents of the Second Congressional District 
of Georgia. I have personally witnessed her hard work and dedication 
and I know this prestigious award recognizing exemplary leadership and 
public service is very well-deserved.
  The Beginning Farmer and Rancher Development Program (BFRDP) was 
authorized in the 2008 Food, Conservation, and Energy Act and is 
administered by the National Institute for Food and Agriculture (NIFA) 
of the USDA. The purpose of the program is to assist farmer and rancher 
producers who have little or no farming experience and to provide the 
knowledge, skills, and tools they need to make informed decisions and 
improve their rate of success. As of 2010, more than 5,000 new and 
potential farmers had participated in BFRDP training events, including 
webinars, seminars, roundtable discussions, internships, mentorships, 
on-farm field days, etc.
  In Georgia, BFRDP has awarded grants to the Development of Socially 
Disadvantaged Farmers and Ranchers in Alabama, Georgia, Mississippi and 
South Carolina Program; the Cultivating Sustainable and Organic 
Beginning Farmers and Ranchers in Georgia Program; and the Urban Oasis 
Beginning Farmer Training Program. These grants have greatly assisted 
beginning farmers and ranchers in Georgia in obtaining the knowledge 
and skills necessary to manage a successful farm, improve their rural 
communities, and contribute to the local, state, and national economy.
  Mr. Speaker, on behalf of the residents of Georgia's Second 
Congressional District and the members of my staff, I ask my colleagues 
to join me today in recognizing Erin Daly and the Beginning Farmer and 
Rancher Development Program team for their strong commitment and 
valuable contributions to beginning farmers and their rural 
communities. I am extremely proud of Erin and I know she will continue 
to do great things in my office and at USDA.

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