U.S. Department of Agriculture Deputy Secretary Kathleen Merrigan says that expanding broadband connections to rural America will increase the quality of health care Americans have available. (0:25)
By Benny Martinez – University of New Mexico/Talk Radio News Service
The U.S. Department of Agriculture (USDA) plays a key role in increasing health care for rural America, according to USDA Deputy Secretary Kathleen Merrigan. Merrigan spent Wednesday morning speaking with the National Rural Health Association (NRHA) and its members at the organization’s 21st Annual Rural Health Policy Institute.
The NRHA, a non-profit organization, has been in Washington all week consulting with various House Members regarding initiatives to expand the quality of health care coverage to rural America.
According to Merrigan, the USDA is working hard to increase the availability of quality health care to rural Americans. Over the past ten years, the Department of Agriculture awarded $2.6 billion through loans and grants to over 1,200 health care facilities. According to Merrigan, this money was used to improve facility infrastructure and to build new hospitals and clinics in rural America.
Merrigan also said that the American Reinvestment and Recovery Act granted the USDA $2.5 billion in an effort to expand broadband connection to rural hospitals and communities. Merrigan believes that this expansion will improve the long-term economic health of rural America and increase the efficiency of exchanging information between institutions.
“High speed connections will allow medical specialists to tell a medicine to provide advanced diagnosis for patients,” Merrigan said. “Or, to consult colleagues in other hospitals while sharing medical records.”
Using the theme, “Community Matters,” NRHA President Dennis Berens advocated the collaboration between his organization and Congress to expand quality health care to rural communities, saying “health, like politics, is always local.”
By Kayleigh Harvey – Talk Radio News Service
In a conference call today, Agriculture Secretary, Tom Vilsack set out the key areas the American people can expect the USDA to focus on, under the new Obama administration.
The top priorities he identified included promoting a sustainable, safe, sufficient and nutritious food supply for all Americans and people around the world. He further stated that combating childhood obesity, enhanced healthy nutrition, and supporting research in the health care debate would be a key focus. Vilsack also announced that the USDA will work on achieving Obama’s target to eliminate child hunger by 2015.
Vilsack identified that another key area the USDA will be working on under the new administration would be research development in additional bio-fuels. The USDA will support the survival of the bio-fuel industry whilst promoting policies that will speed up the development of second and third generation feedstocks for these bio-fuels and in turn increase the potential to secure America’s energy security and independence. He will lead the USDA in it’s efforts to adopt management practices that promote and provide clean air, clean water and wildlife habitat. The USDA aim to support the profitability of farmers and ranchers, developing markets that reward them for carbon sequestration and eliminating greenhouse gases.
Vilsack concluded by stating that: “We have some serious challenges and many opportunities to pursue here at the USDA. I am looking forward to working with the dedicated employees of the USDA and all the departments to fulfill President Obama’s desire of effecting change, promoting a stronger, more vibrant and more economically viable royal America”.
At the Senate Appropriations Committee on Food Safety and Beef Recall, Edward T. Schafer, Secretary of Agriculture, says to Chairman Herb Kohl (D-WI) that the recall (of the beef) was a Class 2 recall which is not a food safety issue. The slaughterhouses now know, he says, that rule violations count. There are inspections that are ongoing, and every carcass is checked for bacteria and other signs of ill health, so “we’re pretty sure that the meat that gets on the market and on the shelves of this country is safe.” (1:06)
At the Senate Appropriations Committee on Food Safety and Beef Recall, Senator Robert Bennett (R-UT) asks Edward T. Schafer, Secretary of Agriculture, if he is correct in his understanding that an animal gets inspected by a veterinarian, goes down the chute, and if he stumbles and falls down, that’s not necessarily an indication that he’s sick. He then says that he has stumbled and fallen down in front of the Capitol and was glad that no one took him out and shot him. (:55)
At the Senate Appropriations Committee on Food Safety and Beef Recall, Chairman Herb Kohl (D-WI) said Americans were appalled to see cattle being “too sick to stand – much less walk- being chained, dragged, fork-lifted, kicked, jabbed, and dumped.” Even worse, he said, the company on the video (Westland/Hallmark of Chino, California) was one that was a major supplier to the school lunch program.
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