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State departments of agriculture are here to help during COVID-19 and beyond
State departments of agriculture are uniquely positioned to respond to local food and agriculture issues during the coronavirus pandemic.
Barb Glenn is the CEO of the National Association of State Departments of Agriculture.
“Your state commissioner, secretary, and director is uniquely situated to respond to your community— to the food and agriculture producers as well as the consumers,” she says. “So, I hope everyone is working state department of agriculture to find solutions.”
She says an example of this is the Wisconsin and Vermont Departments of Agriculture working to connect milk with emergency food organizations.
“Wisconsin and Vermont put together robust partnerships across their community foundations, their dairy farmers, and their dairy processors to assure that milk was reaching the hungry consumer,” she says.
Glenn say many state departments of agriculture are also highlighting the availability of locally produced food.
“In Kentucky, Commissioner Ryan Quarles has advanced the Kentucky Proud program providing all kinds of new resources,” she says. “So, consumers have a map and know where they can go find these foods.”
NASDA represents the elected and appointed commissioners, secretaries, and directors of the departments of agriculture in all 50 states and four U.S. territories.
