Spring 2012 - Minority Landowner
Spring 2012 - Minority Landowner
Spring 2012 - Minority Landowner
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New Faces of Outreach at USDA<br />
Introducing Carolyn Parker, Ronald Harris and Carl Butler<br />
Editor’s note: <strong>Minority</strong> <strong>Landowner</strong> introduces you to some<br />
very important new faces of outreach within the U.S. Department<br />
of Agriculture. Carolyn Parker, of the USDA Office of<br />
Advocacy and Outreach, Ronald Harris of USDA Natural Resources<br />
Conservation Service, and Carl Butler of USDA Farm<br />
Service Agency, have recently taken the helm to lead advocacy<br />
and outreach efforts within their agencies. We asked each of them<br />
to share information about themselves and about their agencies.<br />
Carolyn C. Parker<br />
Name of Agency<br />
Office of Advocacy and<br />
Outreach<br />
Your previous position(s)<br />
Carolyn Parker has been<br />
a leader at USDA in many<br />
capacities. She started her 32<br />
years of service working as<br />
an assistant county supervisor<br />
and later performed as a<br />
county supervisor with the<br />
Farmers Home Administration<br />
in rural New Jersey<br />
where she administered<br />
Single Family Housing and<br />
Farm Programs. She has<br />
worked in the Community<br />
Facilities Loan Program and served as the director of the Business<br />
and Industry Program for more than 15 years. Prior to joining the<br />
Office of Advocacy and Outreach she served as the assistant deputy<br />
administrator for Business Programs in Rural Development.<br />
Your and your Agency’s message or statement regarding outreach<br />
Through coordination and collaboration, the Office of Advocacy<br />
and Outreach works across USDA to enhance access to<br />
services for the communities we serve.<br />
Your goals for outreach for your agency<br />
• Improving the viability and profitability of small and beginning<br />
farmers and ranchers<br />
• Improving access to USDA programs for historically underserved<br />
communities<br />
• Improving agricultural opportunities for farm workers<br />
• Closing the professional achievement gap by providing op-<br />
12 www.minoritylandowner.com <strong>Spring</strong> <strong>2012</strong><br />
portunities to talented and diverse young people to support<br />
the agricultural industry in the 21st century<br />
How can a farmer contact you or your Agency?<br />
USDA Office of Advocacy and Outreach<br />
1400 Independence Ave SW<br />
Washington, DC 20250- 9821<br />
Main (Toll Free): 800-880-4183<br />
Main: (202) 720-6350<br />
Fax: (202) 720-7136<br />
e-mail: AdvocacyandOutreach@osec.usda.gov<br />
website: www.outreach.usda.gov<br />
Ronald A. Harris<br />
Name of Agency and<br />
Agency’s general mission<br />
USDA Natural Resources<br />
Conservation Service. Helping<br />
people help the land.<br />
NRCS improves the health<br />
of our Nation’s resources<br />
while sustaining and enhancing<br />
the productivity of<br />
American agriculture. We<br />
achieve this by providing<br />
voluntary assistance<br />
through strong partnerships<br />
with private landowners,<br />
managers and communities,<br />
to protect, restore and<br />
enhance the lands and waters upon which people and the environment<br />
depend.<br />
Your previous position(s)<br />
I have worked at every level of the organization. I have held the<br />
following positions:<br />
• Soil Conservationist<br />
• District Conservationist<br />
• Area Resource Conservationist<br />
• Area Conservationist<br />
• Assistant State Conservationist<br />
• Natural Resource Specialist<br />
• Deputy State Conservationist<br />
• National Grazing Lands Coordinator<br />
• Branch Chief for Initiative Programs
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