Agriculture Secretary Perdue Launches Second “Back to Our Roots” RV Tour
Three-State Tour to Focus on Rural Prosperity, Preparation for 2018 Farm Bill
(Washington, D.C., August 29, 2017) – U.S. Secretary of Agriculture Sonny Perdue is traveling to Connecticut, Massachusetts, and New Hampshire for the 2nd “Back to Our Roots” Tour to gather input on the 2018 Farm Bill and increasing rural prosperity. Along the way, Perdue will meet with farmers, ranchers, foresters, producers, students, governors, Members of Congress, U.S. Department of Agriculture (USDA) employees, and other stakeholders.
This second RV Tour will feature stops in three states: Connecticut, Massachusetts, and New Hampshire. For social media purposes, Secretary Perdue’s Twitter account (@SecretarySonny) will be using the hashtag #BackToOurRoots.
*NOTE: Media outlets wishing to cover events on the tour must RSVP to press@oc.usda.gov by TODAY, August 30th at 6:00 p.m. ET. Media should indicate which events they are planning to attend.
2nd “Back to Our Roots” RV Tour
NOTE: Schedule of events is subject to change.
Thursday, August 31, 2017
Connecticut
11:45 a.m. ET Connecticut Farm Bureau Farm Bill Listening Session
Secretary Perdue, Senator Richard Blumenthal, and Senator Chris Murphy will participate in a listening session with approximately 40 farmers and producers to discuss their thoughts and concerns for the 2018 Farm Bill. Press will be permitted in the listening session, with a press gaggle to follow.
Rear of Prides Corner Nursery
(Area off of loading dock)
122 Waterman Road
Lebanon, CT 06249
Massachusetts
2:30 p.m. ET Massachusetts Farm Bureau Farm Bill Listening Session
Secretary Perdue, Representative Jim McGovern, Commissioner John Lebeaux, and Mr. Ed Davidian will meet with approximately 75 farmers and producers to discuss their thoughts and concerns for the 2018 Farm Bill. Press will be permitted in the listening session, with a press gaggle to follow.
Davidian Brothers Farm
199 Ball Street
Northborough, MA 01532
Friday, September 1, 2017
New Hampshire
8:20 a.m. ET Tour of Lēf Hydroponic Farm
Secretary Perdue and New Hampshire Agriculture Commissioner Lorraine Stuart Merrill will tour the Lēf Hydroponic Farm. Press will be permitted on the tour, with a press gaggle to follow.
Lēf Farm
662 Route 106 North
Loudon, NH 03307
11:00 a.m. ET Agriculture and Rural Prosperity Task Force Listening Session
Secretary Perdue will host a Task Force listening session with Governor Chris Sununu, local elected officials, industry leaders, farm bureau members, students, and local farmers. The listening session will focus on improving quality of life for people living in rural areas, including broadband, the opioid epidemic, and housing. For more information on the Agriculture and Rural Prosperity Task Force click HERE. Press will be permitted in the listening session, with a press gaggle to follow.
Wolfeboro Town Hall
86 South Main Street
Wolfeboro, NH 03894
3.00 pm EDT Swearing-In Ceremony for the U.S. Forest Service’s new Chief, Tony Tooke
Secretary Perdue will swear in the new Chief of the U.S. Forest Service (USFS), Mr. Tony Tooke. Governor Sununu and USFS employees will be in attendance for the swearing in ceremony. Press will be permitted to attend the swearing in, with a press gaggle to follow.
Pemigewasset Overlook
Kancamagus Highway
Albany, NH 03818
You may click HERE or below for a wrap-up video of Secretary Perdue’s first “Back to Our Roots” Tour, which made stops in Wisconsin, Minnesota, Iowa, Illinois, and Indiana.
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More than 2.5 million medical items pass through the center each year
SALT LAKE CITY, UTAH, USA, August 30, 2017 /EINPresswire.com/ -- Intermountain Healthcare’s hi-tech 327,000 square foot fulfillment center in Midvale, Utah, will help Utah’s medical infrastructure have the supplies it needs if it ever faces a disaster like the one occurring this week in Texas. While flooding on that scale seems unlikely, Utah could face other natural disasters such as an earthquake or severe winter storm.
Named the Intermountain Kem C. Gardner Supply Chain Center, the facility opened in 2012 and houses all the operations relating to the supplies Intermountain’s clinicians and caregivers use—from negotiating contracts with suppliers to warehouse storage, from purchasing to transportation logistics.
The highly-automated facility orders, purchases, stocks, and distributes about 5,000 different types of medical supplies and medications with up to a 30-day supply on hand. More than 2.5 million medical items pass through the center each year.
The Supply Chain Center is centrally located near a majority of Intermountain hospitals and clinics, with immediate access to multiple traffic arteries, including light rail Trax trains and FrontRunner heavy rail trains. In the case of a local emergency, such as a natural disaster, the center will be able to more quickly transfer needed supplies to medical facilities, as compared to relying on many out-of-state vendors to deliver supplies. It also was built to withstand a strong earthquake, up to 7.5 on the Richter Scale—the same building standard for hospitals such as Intermountain Medical Center.
By purchasing supplies directly from the manufacturer, handling the delivery of products, and streamlining processes, Intermountain strives to achieve a reduction in costs while ensuring that clinicians and caregivers receive supplies in a timely, efficient manner, especially if there is a disaster or emergency situation.
“It provides exceptional efficiency, cost savings, and provides an additional safety net for our communities if a disaster situation arises,” said Gordon Slade, Intermountain’s director of Logistics.
The facility is built to a Gold level LEED (Leadership in Energy and Environmental Design) Certification from the U.S. Green Building Council, meaning it was designed and built to achieve high performance in key areas of human and environmental health: sustainable site development, water savings, energy efficiency, materials selection and indoor environmental quality.
Intermountain Healthcare is a Utah-based, not-for-profit system of 22 hospitals, 180 clinics, a Medical Group with some 1,500 employed physicians, a health plans division called SelectHealth, and other health services. Helping people live the healthiest lives possible, Intermountain is widely recognized as a leader in transforming healthcare through high quality and sustainable costs. For more information about Intermountain, visit intermountainhealthcare.org
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