Good Morning,

Vacancy announcement NRCS-15-0748-MP-EW with duty station(s) of Augusta and Huntsville, Arkansas has been posted to USAJobs.gov with an opening date of 4/23/15 and closing date of 5/04/15.  To access the announcement please use the following link: 

Notice of Vacancy,NRCS-15-0748-MP-EW, Soil Conservationist (District Conservationist), GS-0457-09/11

Please feel free to share this link with all interested agency personnel. If you have any additional questions please feel to contact me via phone.

Warm Regards~

Mr. Jimmy R. McAlpine, Program Analyst

Outreach, Diversity & Equal Opportunity

USDA - ARS

P.O. Box 225

141 Experiment Station Road

Stoneville, Mississippi  38776

Office: (662) 686-3634

Fax:     (662) 686-5309

Email:  jimmy.mcalpine@ars.usda.gov

Men of genius are admired; men of wealth envied; men of power feared; but only men of character are trusted.

Guaranteed Loan Making and Servicing Handbook

Good morning from the Guaranteed Loan Making Team.

The full version of FSA Farm Loan Programs Handbook 2-FLP (Rev. 1), Guaranteed Loan Making and Servicing,  has been updated and made available for download.

The current handbook, which includes the last Amendment 30,  is available at: http://www.fsa.usda.gov/Internet/FSA_File/2-flp_r01_a30.pdf

If you have any questions related to the current handbook update feel free to contact the Farm Loan Programs at AskFSA@usda.gov

Thank you from the USDA Farm Service Agency Loan Programs

Special Thanks to the Tree Guys Services

Thank you to this company that actually donated their time and special skills to cut down trees, prune trees and haul the branches and debris away on the grounds of National Women In Ag. Association's People/Community Garden, 1701 N. Martin Luther King Avenue, Oklahoma City, OK 73111.  This generation understands how to donate and volunteer for the health of many; no lip service but action.  We would recommend this company to anyone in the world. Servants of the world. 

SAVE AND EDUCATE OUR YOUTH THROUGH SUSTAINABLE AGRICULTURE CLASSES

NWIAA After School Leadership Program

Enroll Your Child Today! Sustainable Science Academy

Extra! Extra! Read All About It! NWIAA 1st Quarter Newsletter 2015

Tuskegee University AgDiscovery

Dear All:

TU will again host the AgriTREK/SciTREK and AgDiscovery summer programs for high school students; students should be returning to high school Fall 2015.   The program will be held on June 6-20, 2015. Applications for both programs AgriTREK/SciTREK Summer Institute and AgDiscovery Summer Program are NOW AVAILABLE at http://www.tuskegee.edu/agritrek.aspx and the application deadline is March 6, 2015 (FIRM).  Interested students are strongly encouraged to apply to both programs.  Please note that application submission is different for each program.  You may also find information about additional locations for the AgDiscovery program by visiting www.aphis.usda.gov/agdiscovery. There is not cost associated with participation in either of these programs; however, transportation to and from the site is not included.

Please share with your networks, as program are open to students all over the country.

FYI – Scholarships available:

Share this information with all high school students, parents of students, school guidance counselors, principals, teachers, and churches.

The Office of Advocacy & Outreach (OAO) recently released its USDA 1890 National Scholars Program.  The National Scholars Program is a major effort of the USDA and nineteen 1890 Historically Black Land-Grant Institutions (HBCUs) to award scholarships to students to attend one of the nineteen 1890 Institutions in any field of study in agriculture, food, natural resource sciences or other related disciplines.

The USDA/1890 National Scholars Program will provide full tuition, employment, employment benefits, fees, books, and room and board each year for up to 4 years to selected students pursuing a bachelor’s degree at the following universities:

·         Alabama A&M University
·         Alcorn State University
·         Central State University, Ohio
·         Delaware State University
·         Florida A&M University
·         Fort Valley State University, Georgia
·         Kentucky State University
·         Langston University, Oklahoma
·         Lincoln University, Missouri
·         North Carolina A&T State University
·         Prairie View A&M University, Texas
·         South Carolina State University
·         Southern University, Louisiana
·         Tennessee State University
·         Tuskegee University, Alabama
·         University of Arkansas Pine Bluff
·         University of Maryland Eastern Shore
·         Virginia State University
·         West Virginia State University

Eligible students must be U.S. citizens, have a cumulative GPA of 3.0 or better, have been accepted at one of the 1890 HBCUs, study agriculture, food, natural resource sciences or other related academic disciplines, demonstrate leadership and community service, and etc.  Please visit the USDA 1890 National Scholars Program website for more information.

Share this information with all high school students, parents of students, school guidance counselors, principals, teachers, and churches.  The scholarship may be renewed each year contingent upon satisfactory academic performance and normal progress toward the bachelor’s degree.  High school applications and college applications may be downloaded from the site below:

http://www.outreach.usda.gov/education/1890/
Application and supporting documentation DEADLINE: February 1, 2015


Ali Muhammad
Diversity and Inclusion Specialist
OHRM/DRW
Whitten Building-Room 17W
202-720-1116
Ali.muhammad@dm.usda.gov


Our Nation derives strength from the diversity of its population and from its commitment to equal opportunity for all.  We are at our best when we draw on the talents of all parts of our society, and our greatest accomplishments are achieved when diverse perspectives are brought to bear to overcome our greatest challenges. -President Barack Obama  Executive Order 13583-

USDA's "AMS Fruit and Vegetable Program News"--Winter/Spring 2015 Edition

Dear Produce Industry Member,

We are pleased to present the Winter/Spring 2015 edition of USDA's
AMS Fruit and Vegetable Program News.

In this issue, you’ll find information about our programs, additional resources offered by USDA's Agricultural Marketing Service (AMS), and the following articles:

·         Fruit and Vegetable Industry Advisory Committee;

·         Fresh Produce Inspection 101;

·         Get to Know PACA:  Online Training Resources;

·         Training Solutions for the Produce Industry;

·         Growers Are You Protected?;

·         Private Versus Government Inspections in PACA Claims;

·         Produce Pilot Ready To Take Root in Schools; and

·         Fruit and Vegetable Program Webinar Series.

This and previous issues of the newsletter can be found in the
AMS Fruit and Vegetable Program News library.

We are also pleased to provide a video overview of several of our important programs, they are:

·         A Video Introduction to the Services Provided by Specialty Crops Inspection Division--NEW

·         An Introduction to the Perishable Agricultural Commodities Act (PACA)

As always, feel free to contact me or the AMS Fruit and Vegetable Program staff with any questions.


Sincerely,

Charles W. Parrott
Deputy Administrator
USDA AMS Fruit and Vegetable Program
charles.parrott@ams.usda.gov
www.ams.usda.gov/fv

www.ams.usda.gov/fv

New NMIAA Director and the Brick Job

Below are photos of Mr. Rodney "Drew" Brown and a couple of the seniors in high school; Roderick and Floyd (Hip Hop Producer Members). Drew was recently hired full-time here at the academy to supervise the young men and do other agribusiness projects for NWIAA. Mr. Brown has recently received a masters degree in international agriculture business with an emphasis on agriculture business and economics. Drew really knows his stuff and we have need for outreach community projects. These projects will be hands-on workshops with NWIAA's innovative AgriDiva Agribusiness Education that will have a college student education piece. Moreover, Roderick and Floyd have had the pleasure of meeting some of our Washington, D.C. leadership team last year at PAWC. These young men have approximately 2 years of urban farm experience through NWIAA's Hip Hop Producer Program. Also the Hip Hop Producers have worked and volunteered in NWIAA's People's garden. Young brothers that are about the community business...while they get their's as well. 
 

    

Pathways Internship Program is in search of Student Trainees

Hello Everyone! These vacancies are in Arkansas, California, Tennessee, Wyoming and Puerto Rico. Texas vacancies will be out sometime after the new year. Here are 2 more job postings: https://www.usajobs.gov/GetJob/ViewDetails/389091000 Pathways Internship Program Student Trainee (Soil Conservation) GS-0499-02/03 Friday, December 12, 2014 to Thursday, December 18, 2014 16 Positions: 1 vacancy - Hamburg, AR 1 vacancy - North Little Rock, AR 1 vacancy - Searcy, AR 1 vacancy - Walnut Ridge, AR 1 vacancy - Indio, CA 1 vacancy - Madera, CA 1 vacancy - Modesto, CA 1 vacancy - Petaluma, CA 1 vacancy - Dresden, TN 1 vacancy - Franklin, TN 1 vacancy - Memphis, TN 1 vacancy - Shelbyville, TN 1 vacancy - Sparta, TN 1 vacancy - Douglas, WY 1 vacancy - Gillette, WY 1 vacancy - Powell, WY https://www.usajobs.gov/GetJob/ViewDetails/389120900 Pathways Internship Program Student Trainee (Soil Conservation) GS-0499-02/03 Friday, December 12, 2014 to Thursday, December 18, 2014 1 vacancy - Juana Diaz, PR Bertha T. Venegas State Outreach Coordinator United States Department of Agriculture (USDA) Natural Resources Conservation Service (NRCS) 136 Old San Antonio Rd., Suite 301 Boerne, TX 78006 Direct: 830-249-3508 Cell: 830-998-5659 1 Fax: 830-249-9120 bertha.venegas@tx.usda.gov