WASHINGTON,
March 14, 2013 – USDA Deputy Secretary Kathleen Merrigan has resigned her
position, USDA Secretary Tom Vilsack announced today.
“USDA Deputy
Secretary Kathleen Merrigan has helped USDA achieve record results over the
past four years,” Vilsack said. “She has played a vital role in the
department-wide focus on the Know Your Farmer, Know Your Food initiative, as
well as our efforts to achieve budget efficiencies and savings during an
uncertain budget time. Deputy Secretary Merrigan has led USDA’s efforts to
implement important regulations, and she has been an important advocate for a
strong National Organic Program....I deeply appreciate her service, and I wish
her all the best in her future endeavors."
Merrigan
made the announcement late Thursday at the regular weekly meeting of political
appointees arranged by USDA's White House liaison office. She told colleagues
that she planned to remain active in food policy but did not know where she
would work.
She was
"positive" and "upbeat" about her four years as the number
two official in the department, according to one participant who is an admirer
of Merrigan. At one point she reminisced about her role, as administrator of
the Agricultural Marketing Service during the Clinton Administration, in seeing
the National Organic Program take effect. She was described as relaxed and
comfortable with her departure.
Merrigan
will step down from her post in May, but no reason was given. Indeed,
Merrigan's active public schedule gave no hint that she was on her way out the
door. USDA actively promoted several recent appearances she made to advocate
for her favorite causes – local food production and marketing and healthy diets.
In response
to the announcement, Rep. Rosa DeLauro, D-Conn., said she is “saddened’ to hear
Merrigan is leaving USDA. “Because of her commitment and leadership, we have
had a tireless leader at USDA for a range of issues like specialty crops, local
food production, and organic food,” she said. “And her outreach to and
engagement with producers across the country, including those in my home state
of Connecticut, has been phenomenal. She will be missed, but I wish her
the best.”
Before
becoming Deputy Secretary, Merrigan served for eight years as Assistant
Professor and Director of the Agriculture, Food and Environment graduate
program at the Friedman School of Nutrition Science and Policy at Tufts University,
Boston, Mass.
She
also served as Administrator of the USDA Agricultural Marketing Service in the
Clinton Administration. She then worked with Senator Patrick Leahy, D-Vt., as a
senior member of the U.S. Senate Committee on Agriculture, Nutrition and
Forestry.
Merrigan
holds a Ph.D. degree in environmental planning and policy from the
Massachusetts Institute of Technology, a Master of Public Affairs degree from
the University of Texas, and a B.A. degree from Williams College.
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