Dear USDA Team, 

Starting today, I look forward to sharing a few words with you the first Friday of each month. There is so much great work and inspiration across USDA and these messages will serve as an opportunity for me to highlight some of those stories with you.

Today, as recent events continue to unfold with Hurricane Ida, in Afghanistan and in Haiti, plus with flooding, continued wildfires and drought impacting regions, we should reflect on the resilience and compassion of USDA employees and on our commitment to supporting one another.  

USDA employees play a critical role in our national and global community. Our employees lead through diplomacy and deliver vital economic tools and humanitarian aid to those in need. 

Here at home, USDA staff in regional, state and county offices are working around the clock to evaluate the impact of Hurricane Ida and are working alongside FEMA and other state, local and federal emergency authorities to coordinate the federal response. After the damage is assessed, USDA stands ready to help with hurricane-related crop and livestock losses to help producers rebuild and weather the financial impacts and to provide food for shelters and other mass feeding sites. 

This week, despite conditions on the ground in Louisiana, the National Finance Center and Financial Management Services within the office of the Chief Financial Officer continue to show strength and resilience in carrying out mission critical activities related to payroll, retirement processing, insurance, vendor payments and financial reporting. NFC serves more than 170 diverse organizations and processes pay for more than 650,000 federal employees. Despite the storm, the team remained committed to processing payroll uninterrupted and without delay. To accomplish this task, a contingent of personnel and operations was deployed to their Alternate Work Site in Bossier City, Louisiana.   

Our NOLA workforce at-large is another great example of how USDA perseveres. Their continued commitment to serving our customers is even more impressive when you factor in that Hurricane Ida hit landfall on the 16-year anniversary of Hurricane Katrina, which left an indelible mark on this workforce.

In addition to the great work being done by our Louisiana staff, employees of the U.S. Forest Service and our Farm Service Agency continue to respond to the ongoing wildfire and drought weather events happening in the West and Midwest. I would like to thank the Forest Service's brave wildland firefighters for navigating a particularly long and arduous fire year and making personal sacrifices to protect the lives and livelihoods of others. I would also like to thank all our Farm Service Agency employees who have continuously answered the call to help farmers, ranchers, communities and businesses that have been hard hit by natural disaster events. Their continued efforts ensure that folks can stay safe, and communities can respond and recover from these historic threats.

All our hearts sank with the loss of American heroes in Afghanistan this past month. Many of you are veterans who have honorably answered the call to serve our country and have made incredible sacrifices alongside your family members and loved ones. Some of you may have served in Afghanistan or in the region. We at USDA, and all Americans, are deeply humbled by your sense of duty and commitment, and we are thankful for your heroism that has made us safer.

During my previous time as secretary and as governor of Iowa, I traveled to Afghanistan and witnessed firsthand the amazing work that was done in agriculture and forestry. Some USDA employees served as civilians in the department’s efforts to help rebuild Afghanistan’s agricultural sector. We recognize and appreciate the USDA employees who have worked directly or indirectly in Afghanistan to help improve agriculture, food security, and the lives of the people there. We also recognize the contributions of Afghan-Americans to our workforce. Our joint efforts will continue to make a difference regardless of who might be governing the country at any given time and our team can rightfully take pride in having a long-lasting impact in Afghanistan.

Finally, shortly after the 2010 earthquake in Haiti, the government of Haiti made an urgent request for U.S. assistance. Some of you might have been involved in the various aspects of the 2010 earthquake response and the devastation of that event in 2010 was vividly brought back to mind after the earthquake in Les Cayes on Aug. 14, 2021.

For many of us, the weight of our challenges can seem overwhelming. These world events coupled with the continuation of the global pandemic should remind us all that taking care of ourselves and each other and preserving our mental health is of the utmost importance in our USDA community. 

USDA has resources available to help you or immediate family members should you like to seek support at this time through the Employee Assistance Program. For more information on the federal EAP, see the OPM website. 

If you are a Returned Peace Corps Volunteer, we encourage you to join the Returned Peace Corps Volunteers and Friends at USDA Employee Resource Group. For more information, membership or participation, send an email to PeaceCorps@USDA.gov. 

Veterans Affairs also has a variety of resources available to help should you or a veteran you know like to seek additional support at this time: 

• Veteran's Crisis Line: 1-800-273-TALK (8255) Press Option 1 or Text 838255 
• Women Veterans Hotline: 855-829-6636
• VA Caregiver Support Line: 855-260-3274
• VHA mental health services, including how family members can assist a veteran in crisis
• Finding local mental health services and resources: Resources | Videos & Info for Military Veterans | Make the Connection
• Vet Center resources are also available and include counseling; there is also a toll-free number: 877-WAR-VETS

Here in the United States and abroad, our USDA team serves diligently to provide hope and opportunity in times of tragedy and recovery, including through the recent events that have headlined news coverage. I am personally proud of our team—it is one of the key reasons I returned to USDA. We are incredibly thankful for all that you have done and will continue to do. This is not the first time we have faced challenges and it will not be the last, but I am confident we will continue to work together to represent the very best of America, lead with our values and ensure we build back better in all we do.

Sincerely,

Tom Vilsack

See this and other employee announcements at OneUSDA (internal link).