Dear USDA Employees,

The next few weeks are full of opportunities for us to share our appreciation for our employees, our supervisors and our peers, and to celebrate USDA: 
Employees who worked remotely throughout the pandemic are transitioning back to a hybrid work environment, and they will continue to transition through the next several weeks.

• Nationally, on April 27th, we celebrate administrative assistants who manage record keeping, scheduling, timekeeping, facilities and other important administrative duties that make it possible for USDA to continue to deliver quality services to the public. 
• The first week of May we will celebrate Public Service Recognition Week with the opening of the USDA Farmers Market in Washington, DC, on Friday, May 6th, and the rededication of the Peoples’ Garden. We hope employees in the NCR stop by to greet and celebrate USDA and one another.
• On May 6, in honor of Military Spouses Day, Deputy Secretary Bronaugh, in collaboration with the Employee Resource Group, Military Spouse Association, will welcome and express our appreciation to our military employees and their families at an employee event.
• May is also Asian American and Pacific Islander Heritage Month and Mental Health Awareness Month. Keep an eye out for other department and agency sponsored events throughout the month in your inbox and on OneUSDA.

Thank you for all you do, and once again, a special thank you to employees who continued to work on-site to keep the rest of us and the nation safe during the COVID pandemic.

Sincerely, 
Secretary Vilsack and Deputy Secretary Bronaugh