Ag Alert May 5, 2021

Californian Moffitt to join USDA as undersecretary A walnut farmer and state agricultur- al official from California will be nomi- nated as an undersecretary for the U.S. Department of Agriculture. and Agriculture, and previously served as deputy secretary for the agency.

committed to putting the perspective of our producers at the heart of what we do.” “As a farmer andpolicymaker, Jennyhas engagedwithagricultural stakeholderson thecritically important balanceof sustain- ing our environment, strengthening our rural economies, and building healthy communities,” Vilsack said. California FarmBureau Administrator JimHouston,whoalsoservedasCDFAun- dersecretary before joining FarmBureau, said of the nomination, “With Jenny

Lester Moffitt’s on-farm knowledge and diverse experience in a number of policy areas suchaswater, pests and theenviron- ment, we are confident she will represent California farmers and ranchers well.” If Moffitt is confirmed, Vilsack said she would join a mission area focused on fa- cilitating the domestic and international marketing of U.S. agricultural products, ensuring the health and care of animals andplants, and settingnational and inter- national standards. “With her guidance and leadership, USDA will help to buildmore robust and resilient local and regional food systems that support new, fairer market opportu- nities for American producers and food companies,” Vilsack said. Mo f f i t t i s a g radua t e o f Brown University and theCaliforniaAgricultural Leadership Program. Site offers mental health information In recognitionofMay asMental Health Month, the American Farm Bureau Federation has launched a comprehen- sive online directory of resources for farmers, ranchers and their families who may be experiencing stress and mental health challenges. Thedirectorymaybe foundontheFarm StateofMindwebsite at farmstateofmind. org. It listscrisishotlinesandsupport lines, counseling services, training opportuni- ties, podcasts, videos, published articles andother resources ineveryU.S. stateand Puerto Rico. It also includes listings for crisis sup- port, counseling and behavioral health resources that are available nationwide. The Farm State of Mind directory lists resources specificallygeared toward farm- ers, ranchers and rural communities, with additional listings forcountyandstatewide mental health and other support services in every state.

She spent 10 years as managing direc- tor at her family’s walnut farm and pro- cessing operation in Winters, served on the Central Valley Regional Water Quality Control Board from 2012-15 and worked forAmericanFarmlandTrust from2002-05. In announcing President Biden’s in- tent to nominate Moffitt last week, U.S. AgricultureSecretaryTomVilsack said the nomination “demonstrates that USDA is

Jenny Lester Moffitt would become USDA undersecretary of marketing and regulatory programs, overseeing agen- cies including the Agricultural Marketing Service and Animal and Plant Health Inspection Service. Moffitt currently serves as undersecre- tary for theCaliforniaDepartment of Food

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6 Ag Alert May 5, 2021

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