At 2 p.m. on Tuesday, April 10, the Kansas-based agencies of the U.S. Department of Agriculture (USDA) will host a celebration for the 150th anniversary of the establishment of USDA. The event will also include the dedication of a new wind erosion research facility and wheat/sorghum milling laboratory.
Proposed by President Lincoln as “the People’s Department” USDA was founded in 1862 and continues to touch every American’s life every day. In a State with as rich an agricultural history and current prominence as Kansas, this is even more true today. Kansas ranks seventh nationally in agricultural exports and leads the nation in the production of wheat and grain sorghum. This celebration will highlight the important relationship that USDA shares with agricultural producers and the agricultural industry in Kansas.
The event will be held at the new Wind Erosion Research Laboratory at the Center for Grain and Animal Health Research, 1515 College Avenue, in Manhattan. In addition to the formal program, the event will include a resource fair where the seven participating agencies will share information on the services and programs they provide. The USDA agencies that are participating in this event are the Agricultural Research Service (ARS), Animal and Plant Health Inspection Service (APHIS), Farm Service Agency (FSA), National Agricultural Statistical Service (NASS), Natural Resources Conservation Service (NRCS), Risk Management Agency (RMA), and Rural Development (RD).
The event is open to the public. For additional information contact Tom Shanower at 785-776-2702 or tom.shanower@ars.usda.gov.