US AG secretary Sonny Perdue to visit TSU

NASHVILLE, Tenn. (TSU News Service) – U.S. Secretary of Agriculture Sonny Perdue will get a glimpse of innovative research and interact with top-notch students when he visits Tennessee State University on Monday, Oct. 7.

Perdue is scheduled to attend a breakfast hosted by TSU President Glenda Glover before touring the College of Agriculture and giving a presentation to Ag students at 10 a.m. in the Farrell Westbrook Complex on the main campus.

U.S. Secretary of Agriculture Sonny Perdue

Dr. Chandra Reddy, dean of TSU’s College of Agriculture, says the U.S. Department of Agriculture is very supportive of the land-grant institution, so he’s pleased that the department’s top official is visiting TSU.

“This is awesome, because USDA supports a number of USDA scholars for us, as well as research and extension facilities at TSU,” says Reddy. “This is an opportunity for the Secretary to see firsthand how we are stewarding those resources they are providing.”

Kristin Day is among numerous TSU students who have benefitted from USDA. The junior from Baton Rouge, Louisiana, received a full-ride with an 1890 land-grant scholarship, which also guarantees an internship with a federal agency.

Day, who is majoring in agricultural sciences with a concentration in agribusiness, says she’s looking forward to seeing Perdue, again. She says she first met him last month during a visit to Washington, D.C.

“It’s an honor that he’s coming to TSU, and he wants to sit down with us and have an intimate discussion,” says Day, who hopes to one day work with USDA.

Last year, USDA awarded more than $2 million in teaching, research and extension capacity building grants to seven TSU professors in the College of Ag.

The College was also awarded a $450,000 grant from the USDA’s Agricultural Food and Research Initiative. It’s being used to pursue an integrated approach to mitigate antimicrobial resistance in cattle and poultry, and help establish stewardship programs for small and medium-sized ranchers.

For more information about TSU’s College of Agriculture, visit http://www.tnstate.edu/agriculture/.