Also this month:
*
NC A&T Food Scientist Explains Irradiation
*
Encroaching Urban Areas Can Equal Success to Area Farmers
*
NC A&T Landscape Architecture Receives Grant, Coordinates Symposium
* The Science
of a Science Fair Project
* Extension
Specialist Advises on Traveling with Children
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NC A&T School of Agriculture
Agricultural Communications
Mitch Arnold, news editor
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Greensboro, NC: Dayton J. Watkins, administrator
of the United States Department of Agriculture's Rural Business-Cooperative
Services (RBS), recently visited the North Carolina A&T State University
campus, as a guest of NC A&T's International Trade Center of Excellence.
The top-ranking official of RBS, Watkins is involved in managing more than
a billion dollars in programs for business development, such as that which
supports A&T's Rural Economic Development Project and the Rural Community
Business Development Partnership. One of Watkins' major initiatives is
to spur entrepreneurial activities at 1890 land-grant institutions.
Both A&T initiatives are part of the 1890 and 1862 Land-Grant Institution
Initiative, through which RBS has entered into cooperative agreements with
land grant universities to develop income-producing projects for underserved
rural communities. The focus of this initiative is on creating new businesses,
in traditional and non-traditional industries in communities that are traditionally
dependent on agriculture. This also includes helping small- and medium-scale
farmers to remain in the agricultural industry.
"Cooperatives help farmers remain farmers," said Watkins. "Through
strategic relationships or cooperatives with businesses such as fast food
chains and retail food businesses, they are able to secure a reliable market
for their products."
Created in 1994 as a result of the reorganization of the U.S. Department
of Agriculture, the mission of RBS is to enhance the quality of life for
all rural Americans by providing leadership in building competitive businesses,
including cooperatives that can build sustainable economic communities
internationally.
According to Watkins, access to capital is one of the biggest problems
confronting businesses in underserved communities located in both rural
and urban areas.
"The Rural Business-Cooperative Service addresses this issue by investing
its financial resources and technical assistance in businesses and communities,
and by building partnerships that leverage public and private resources
to stimulate rural economic activity," said Watkins.
Rural Development field offices administer all RBS and other USDA rural
economic and community development programs at the local level.
While on the A&T campus, Watkins met with Dr. Earnestine Psalmonds,
A&T's vice-chancellor for research, and Dr. Daniel D. Godfrey, dean
of the A&T School of Agriculture, and was briefed on the activities
of A&T's International Trade Center of Excellence, by Dr. William Amponsah,
coordinator of the Center.
He also toured university facilities and gave a seminar entitled, "Entrepreneurship,
Business Development and Trade," to A&T students.
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For more information, please contact Dr. William Amponsah, NC A&T School
of Agriculture, (910) 334-7056.
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