U.S. Secretary of Agriculture Expresses Interest in Prairie View A&M University

 

The Cooperative Extension Program in the College of Agriculture and Human Sciences participated with Texas A&M in the “Battle Ground to Breaking Ground” program hosted in Dallas, Texas, May 31, 2018.  Attending the event was U.S. Secretary of Agriculture Sonny Perdue.  Mr. Purdue met with veteran farmers to announce a partnership between the U.S. Department of Agriculture (USDA) and Texas A&M “Battle Ground to Breaking Ground” initiative.  The Cooperative Extension Program at Prairie View A&M University was represented at the event by Angela Moore, Extension Associate in the Agriculture & Natural Resources unit. Following the event, Mr. Purdue reached out to speak with Ms. Moore.

Moore said, “I especially appreciated that Secretary Perdue took time out to not only pose for pictures but to engage with me.  He asked questions about Prairie View A&M University

[specifically].”  Moore also said she discussed Prairie View A&M’s partnership with Texas A&M on the Texas AgrAbility Project, a USDA funded program geared towards helping farmers who have a disability continue to work in production agriculture.  Prairie View A&M University’s role with the AgrAbility Project is to increase awareness by promoting the program and to assist with identifying limited resource/socially disadvantaged farmers and ranchers who may be eligible for participation. The CEP-AgNr unit is led by a Program Leader for Agriculture & Natural Resources.

The Battle Ground to Breaking Ground is an offshoot of the AgrAbility program.  It is also a grant-funded program of the USDA and has a more targeted focus of providing training, technical assistance and other resources to U.S. Military Veterans who have disabilities and are interested in becoming new and beginning farmers.

In October 2017, Prairie View A&M University hosted its first Battleground to Breaking Ground (BG2BG) Workshop.  Workshop topics included business planning, rural business ideas, and business funding.  While the BG2BG program has been in existence for a number of years, this was the first time it had been hosted at Prairie View A&M University.  Following the workshop, one of the participants, Mr. Oscar Tyler, later wrote, “I’m a retired Senior Officer and have been through my share of workshops and conferences over the last 20 plus years, and would be remised if I didn’t thank you, your staff and contributors that played a part in delivering a ” Truly Professional”, information filled, and enlightening workshop/conference at Prairie View…Continue the great work!”

Moore also shared a brief overview of her role with the Cooperative Extension Program at Prairie View A&M University, which she concluded with an informal invitation to Secretary Perdue, saying, “we would love to have you visit our campus”.

 

Written by:  Angela Moore, Extension Associate in the Agriculture & Natural Resources at PVAMU