USDA’s Gore Visits the Central Valley on Outreach Tour

USDA’s Gore Visits the Central Valley on Outreach Tour Text By Jim Cairns, Public Affairs Specialist & Photo By Ken Grimes, Fresno Service Center
 James Gore (3rd from right) met with African American farmers during his outreach tour of the Central Valley. 

USDA’s James Gore, Special Assistant to the Assistant Secretary for Departmental Management, continued his outreach-focused tour of California on March 2, hosted by NRCS, with a stop in the Central Valley (see our March 4th e-news for details on Gore’s visit to Hoopa Valley).

The 12-hour-long day of activities included six meetings with 43 NRCS conservation partners throughout Fresno and Madera counties. Tribal outreach included meetings with the Picayune Tribe, and Tribal Council, followed by a visit to the North Fork Band of Mono Indians. Both the Picayune & North Fork Tribes now have Tribal Conservation Districts (TCD). Including his previous visit to Hoopa Valley two days before, Gore visited all three existing TCDs in California.

Other visits included a stop with Mr. Lee at Cherta Farms; Mr. Galavan, a small Hispanic farmer; and Will Smith and the African-American farmers at his property near Raisin City. Additional meetings were held with local Hispanic farmers and UCCE farm advisors.

NRCS staff accompanying Gore included Luana Kiger (S.O.), Curtis Tarver (Fresno), Sharon Nance (Fresno), Jenny Johnson (Madera), Sam Vang (Fresno), Garry Ford (Madera), and Ken Grimes (Fresno).