Reps. Panetta, Mann, Westerman, Costa Urge USDA to Hire Agricultural Youth Organization Coordinator

Washington, D.C. - Today, during National FFA Week, Congressional FFA Caucus Co-Chairs, U.S. Representatives Jimmy Panetta (CA-19) and Tracey Mann (KS-01), and Congressional FFA Caucus members U.S. Representatives Bruce Westerman (AR-04) and Jim Costa (CA-21) sent a letter to Secretary of Agriculture Thomas Vilsack, urging him to fill the U.S. Department of Agriculture's agricultural youth organization coordinator position; a position left vacant for more than eight months.

"Encouraging young people and students to pursue careers in agriculture is essential to our food security, innovation, and continued global leadership," said Rep. Panetta. "We need someone at the federal level dedicated to promoting agricultural education, meeting our young people where they are, and raising awareness of opportunities in agriculture. The Agricultural Youth Organization Coordinator is critical to our country's future and the continued mission of the United States Department of Agriculture."

"We invest in students today to ensure that agriculture thrives in the future," said Rep. Mann. "We will rely on the next generation to produce our food, take care of our land, and think creatively about meeting the challenges of delivering food, fiber, and fuel to a growing population. We must engage with young people now – motivating them to pursue careers in food and agriculture, assisting them with available resources, and involving them in discussions around agriculture and nutrition policy. There is a strong history of engaging the next generation in these policy discussions, like the one we are currently having around the next farm bill. Without someone spearheading youth initiatives at the Department, the next generation is missing from the table. USDA should immediately prioritize hiring the Agricultural Youth Organization Coordinator. The future cannot wait. "

Click here to read the full letter.

The Agricultural Improvement Act of 2018 established the Agricultural Youth Organization Coordinator to "...promote the role of youth-serving organizations and school-based agricultural education in motivating and preparing young people to pursue careers in the agriculture, food, and natural resources systems; work to help build youth awareness of the reach and importance of agriculture, across a diversity of fields and disciplines; identify short-term and long-term interests of the Department and provide opportunities, resources, input, and coordination with programs and agencies of the Department to youth-serving organizations and school-based agricultural education, including the development of internship opportunities; share, internally and externally, the extent to which active steps are being taken to encourage collaboration with, and support of, youth-serving organizations and school-based agricultural education; provide information to youth involved in food and agriculture organizations concerning the availability of, and eligibility requirements for, participation in agricultural programs, with particular emphasis on beginning farmer and rancher programs; serve as a resource for assisting youth involved in food and agriculture organizations in applying for participation in agriculture; and advocate on behalf of youth involved in food and agriculture organizations in interactions with employees of the Department."

The Department has left the agricultural youth organization coordinator position vacant since June 2022.

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