Agriculture Department
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June 1 marks the start of the sixth annual Feds Feed Families event where federal employees donate food items and their time to help the hungry. Last year's drive netted 9 million pounds of donated food.
May 19, 2014 -
The Office of Management and Budget and the Treasury Department Friday announced they recertified the departments of Interior, Treasury and Transportation and added USDA to be the support pylons of its financial management shared services initiative. GSA is no longer an approved provider, and it's unclear where its 44 customers will migrate to next.
May 05, 2014 -
More than half of senior executives surveyed by the Senior Executives Association are reporting "low" or "very low" morale with their jobs. The problem lies with a pay-for-performance system where some supervisors make less money than the people they lead. Increasing numbers of senior executive service members are ready to leave the federal government altogether.
May 02, 2014 -
The Agriculture Department and the U.S. Agency for International Development are at loggerheads over a computer application called Web Based Supply Chain Management system. USAID quit using it shortly after it rolled out in 2011. Agriculture officials say they've fixed the problems. They say the information USAID is tracking outside the system isn't always accurate. Thomas Melito, director of International Affairs and Trade Issues at the Government Accountability Office, looked into this spat and shared what he found with Federal Drive with Tom Temin and Emily Kopp.
April 01, 2014 -
Wildfires, floods and invasive pests are just some of the natural risks that farmers and other rural landowners are facing at an increased rate. Now, the Agriculture Department has a plan to help combat those risks. Last month, it launched the first Regional Hubs for Risk Adaptation and Mitigation to Climate Change. The seven hubs will provide information to farmers. Bill Hohenstein, director of USDA's Climate Change Program Office, spoke with Federal Drive hosts Tom Temin and Emily Kopp about the goals of the program.
March 25, 2014 -
Senate lawmakers won out over the debate about whether or not to merge the E-Government Fund with the Federal Citizen Services Fund. DHS also receives $166 million for cybersecurity programs in the fiscal 2014 spending bill.
January 21, 2014 -
In this week's edition of Inside the Reporter's Notebook, Executive Editor Jason Miller shares news and buzz in the acquisition and IT communities that you may have missed.
November 15, 2013 -
Federal employees celebrated their achievements Wednesday at the Feds Feed Families closing ceremony. This year, feds collectively donated nearly 9 million pounds of food.
November 14, 2013 -
HHS is using big data to improve the cybersecurity of their systems, but also using a layered approach to protect the information. Commerce wants to improve the governance and usability of its data. USDA is creating a big data strategy.
September 27, 2013 -
McDonough was recognized for improving the labor-management working relationship at the Food and Nutrition Service.
September 23, 2013 -
Cheryl Cook, the Agriculture Department's chief information officer, said she's focusing on governance to improve mobile computing and reduce duplication among IT programs.
September 20, 2013 -
DHS, HHS, Interior and USDA all are on board to try out the Total Workplace initiative that focuses on open spaces, hotelling and mobile employees. GSA Administrator Dan Tangherlini said a new approach to office space will save money and improve how agencies meet their missions.
September 20, 2013 -
The Department of Agriculture's Animal and Plant Health Inspection Service is using online identification tools to prevent a loss of expertise and institutional knowledge caused by a growing number of people retiring.
August 26, 2013 -
Only $50 million remain for the U.S. Forest Service to fight wildfires. The agency is diverting $600 million from timber, recreation and other areas to fill the gap. Sequestration forced cuts of 500 firefighters and 50 engines.
August 22, 2013 -
Doug Keeler, national program manager of Feds Feed Families, says he's not surprised federal employees continue to donate food, even with sequestration and furloughs. Since 2009, the campaign has collected more than 15 million pounds of food, and it's striving for a goal of 25 million by Aug. 28.
August 22, 2013