Blog for USDA NRCS, FAS and my other Natural Resource and International Development Colleagues

Background on USDA 17 agencies and 10 offices "Reach Back Capability" available to Agriculture Advisors for Post Conflict Reconstruction, Stabilization and Crisis Prevention, is listed on the first page. Page one outlines these traditional programs and with department statistics. The blog provides a totla of six pages showing my Iraq field work October 2007 to September 2008 as Provinical Reconstruction Team Agriculture Advisor.

Traditional Programs:
o Trade Capacity Building (TCB) – Build relationships among stakeholders for open market and science-based trade policies.

o Agricultural Development – Governmental agricultural-policy and infrastructure issues affecting market-based systems, i.e. market information, rural credit, rural development, post harvest and slaughter food handling systems, agriculture extension and natural resources management.

o Reconstruction, Stabilization and Crisis Management – Reinstate necessary policies and procedures to provide basis public services such as agricultural extension, plant and animal health protection, natural resources management and market information systems.

USDA WEB SITES & HOME PAGE INFORMATION
United States Department of Agriculture

Agency overview
Formed May 15, 1862(Cabinet status February 15, 1889)
Headquarters 1301 Independence Avenue, S.W., Washington, D.C.
Employees
105,778 (June 2007)
Annual budget
US$95 billion (2009)
Agency executives
Thomas J. Vilsack, Secretary of Agriculture Kathleen Merrigan, Deputy Secretary of Agriculture

Websites
http://www.usda.gov/
http://www.fas.usda.gov/ http://www.nrcs.usda.gov/ http://www.ars.usda.gov/

Operating units Active

Agricultural Marketing Service (AMS)
National Organic Program (NOP)
Agricultural Research Service (ARS)
National Agricultural Library (NAL)
Animal and Plant Health Inspection Service (APHIS)[4]
Animal Care (AC)
Biotechnology Regulatory Services (BRS)
International Services (IS)
Plant Protection and Quarantine (PPQ)
Veterinary Services
Wildlife Services
Center for Nutrition Policy and Promotion (CNPP)
Cooperative State Research, Education, and Extension Service (CSREES)
Economic Research Service (ERS)
Farm Service Agency (FSA)
Food and Nutrition Service (FNS)
Food Safety and Inspection Service (FSIS)
Foreign Agricultural Service (FAS)
Forest Service (FS)
Grain Inspection, Packers and Stockyards Administration (GIPSA)
National Agricultural Statistics Service (NASS)
National Finance Center (NFC)
Natural Resources Conservation Service (NRCS)
Risk Management Agency (RMA)
Rural Development (RD)
Office of Community Development (OCD)
Rural Housing Service (RHS)


Current traditional tasks which can be supported by one or more USDA Agencies

ü Coordinate HA Food Support
ü Drought Mitigation - Weather Forecast Capability
ü Wealth Creation - Marketing and Statistics Service
ü Wealth Creation - Commodity Grading and Handling Advisory, Regulation Standards and
Private Contacts for investments
ü Food Safety - FSIS
ü Extension – Public Information/Adult and Youth Training (Meetings, Television, Radio?)
ü Resource Inputs - Improved Seed, Fertilizer, Ag Equipment, Land, Trained Labor
ü Livestock Health - Veterinarian Service working with Ministry – Sub Districts and private
ü Wealth Improvement - Value Added Processing
ü Wealth Improvement - High Value Crops and Improved Livestock

Life Deployed as an Agriculture Advisor

Ag Advisors mid year conference in Republican Palace

Advisors complete training with Department of State

Round table with Deputy Secretary Negroponte

Travel by air to small combat outpost as this

sixty man base. Note fish ponds surrounding post.

This power plant provided a base for large army unit which was a great distance from main element in Baghdad

Both bases are now turned over to Iraqi forces

Most Advisors stayed in one place, but I found the travel from base to base enabled more engagements with the Iraqis.



The trade off was living out of a bag and under a mosquito net.

Your office was wherever you can find a working computer and Internet.

Friendships was a plus. Engineer retired from DOD, but not
from doing good deeds.

R & R is a must to maintain relations with home, but the opportunity to see other countries is a plus if managed. My son happened to be in one of these countries deployed as a soldier. So I worked out an in country side trip between assignments.

Dust Storm Deployments are notorious for stories of intolerable heat and dust

But what is surprising is since you are outside much of the time and work from within thin wood or metal building the winter cold and wet weather is limiting.

Some bases had outstanding main buildings

with all other support still in tents or bunkers. First snow in past 100 years

A farewell meal served in Sheik's private hall

Farewell sunset over Mosul 2006

Last field visit 2008 Walked over 40 hectors crops

after sub district received new irrigation water

Soldiers and Deployments

Mission briefing by Non Commission Officer (NCO)

The saying is the NCO is the backbone of the Army Nothing is more important to the Advisor than safety of the mission Attending the mission brief is important. Expect nothing less than professionally managed meetings and return the courtesy by participating.

Duty, Discipline and Diligence

Patrols are serious

But so is wining the hearts and minds

Military Traditions builds esprit

I tried to participate with soldiers where I could. Loved their company. Whether it is formal occasions or the shared cup of coffee in the DFAC at 2400. Listen to the conversation of soldiers. They are engaging the populace twice what the advisor does and see different facets. Important leads can be gleaned from soldiers and the new relationship enables the advisors to make more missions and engagements too.

Water - Iraq's Lifeblood

Lift station on Tigris River

Local landowners study canal maps

Chief District Engineer and staff at work

Water flowing from last lift station

Negotiate meeting between sheiks controlling 24 Kilometers of main canal from Euphrates River blocked with sediment and Ministry officials.

Association President and Tribal leader reviews section of main canal blocked last three years and not serving sub district.

Farm Union President reviews map of canals and drains. Points out section not maintained last ten years.

July farmer using ground water from a hand dug well. Too saline to irrigate alfalfa more than once a week

August 11 water flows out of last lift station

July major lateral bone dry

Beans planted just three days prior

Corn, beans and squash



Field was dry nearly a year until 40 days before when water came

Program and Project Makers

Iraqi Sheiks

The development of working relations with multiple leaders significant task

Reception of leaders

Many programs are held outside due to attendance

Dinner Celebration Iraqi Style

Yes this is a contract even in Iraq can not get away from paperwork!

This innovator is the type of farmer we (USDA) are always looking for.

Here is showing new chicken coop cooling system needs support for new pump and components.

Dinner with Government Director.
Essential to initiation of future working meetings.

Meeting with city Mayor allow leaders to make important points.

Sheik's large meeting hall where Farm Union Presidents discussed programs and projects.

The tractor deal was a first for the Provincial Reconstruction Team and the farm association. The seed money used to purchase four tractors to be rented to local farmers. The proceeds would go back into the farm association for future project to benefit a 5,000 farmer membership.

The Iraqis like Massey-Ferguson Tractors.

These model local dealer and European design.

My greatest disappointment was not helping this official. He made a direct request to help ten farmers with 16 hectors of date trees. War damage to irrigation gate releasing flood water across the fields. The resulting gully cut off all irrigation water to the date trees. No one either Iraqi or U.S. was willing to even go to the village. While little consolation later intelligence proved the general region to be one of the last insurgency holdout. The resulting winter battles disrupted much of the area which would have made repairs difficult.

Local Farm Leaders

This group could have been found in any state of the USA.

Two engineers, three farmers and local Government Ag Director.

The organization with local farm representatives is much like in the USA. The government support to rural area is similar but different. The support for livestock health is under one large division, and water resources is much like the Army Corps of Engineers combined with our USDA engineers. However no engineering support is given at the individual level. The general Ag division is like all of the USDA agencies are combined under one division for rights to farm land being the main focus. Support such as extension comes from specialists from the provincial capital. A smart group working with limited resources.

Local power broker coming to meeting passes crowd of petitioners.

City Engineer, self, Ag Unit Manager, Water Resource Engineer and Army Interpreter.

Building Public Trust with Government programs request more than one engagement.

Many potential projects were hampered by lack of sufficient engagements. If only one or two contacts were made projects either never developed or were so poorly researched could not be implemented or reach sustainability.

The Greenhouse Project was well supported with adequate engagements with key leaders. Provided "Best Management Practice" that fit the local resource limitations and was easily adapted by local farmers. After 40 greenhouses were distributed the remaining challenge was how to get the Iraqi Government to adopt the project with seed money and build trust in the local government by the public.

Key Leaders Make Greenhouse Project

Local Farmer supported by Ag Unit Manager (Gov) Project Sponsored by Provincial Ministry Official Underwritten by Iraqi - US Funds




A 20 Hector Diverse Operation of Livestock, Poultry, Citrus, Truck Farming Employees 14




Greenhouse Plastic Tubing for Drip Irrigation

Pump and recycle Pit for Greenhouse Project



Greenhouse Construction Worker