Full Speed

Today was not too exciting as far as my activities, but I did receive word on exciting things ahead. We started with a staff meeting where the rest of the staff had chipped in to get my boss a massage at 3:30 today, and the computer technician a gift certificate with the afternoon off, as they had both been working overtime and on the weekend to try to align our office with the schedule we should be on. I was awarded a desk and computer this morning, which meant I was able to complete one of my projects and start another. It was really a relief to me and the rest of the office as my stash of papers was starting to pile up. I think we were close to what we would call "normal" as far as day-to-day operations go, with a few minor pieces, like mailboxes and the fact that our back room looks like a giant storage closet, left to fit in the puzzle.

Gabe and I were able to go to a Government Accountability Office meeting. This is probably the most interesting government agency you have never heard of. While the name sounds like they should be something out of the IRS or OMB (Office of Management and Budget), but is really more closely related to things like the USDA, FDA, FTC, and SEC. The GAO is the office run by the Comptroller General. They are basically the general research arm that government can use for testimony and references. We were handed a 10 page packet of research today, with writing on both sides. On each page there were about 10 reports on research the GAO had done in the past 3 years, making about 200 reports in this one packet. Because it was in alphabetical order, agriculture came first, and I just assumed we would continue on to health, money, and science reports as we flipped through the pages. But when I opened up the book, I realized that these were ALL agricultural reports, on important issues that either the Senate, House, or an agency like the USDA had applied to had researched. Recent reports included everything from ethanol and commodity pricing as well as sod-busting and avian flu. Most of what the GAO does is report and testify to Congress, which is why they were coming to us to "tell us they were there." Most of the staff in the room had of course always worked in the minority in the past, so knew little about the agency as their requests would not matter as much. It was interesting to see them as another side of research that maybe funds projects that Universities would not approach, or was there when needed as a (hopefully) less-biased institution.

My upcoming project is to research Animal ID/NAIS as with my computer I successfully completed an ethanol and biodiesel fact sheet for reference of one of our staff. As part of this project I will be able to attend a closed-door meeting where I will meet the man from the USDA in charge of NAIS, to find out exactly why we have made almost no progress over the past couple of years. My most exciting news was a picture session with Mike Johanns, current Secretary of Agriculture and former Nebraska governor. I also need to come up with good questions to ask and have information to answer questions like "Where do you see agriculture going?" and "What interests you in agriculture?"

The great thing about this job is that I am always looking forward to something, and I can work in-between the moments of opportunity. I was asked to bartend and/or sign in guests at a social before the State of the Union next Wednesday, with extra pay, as it is a group that Mr. Chairman co-chairs, which will be a good time to see many members of Congress and other people with much more power than I have. This weekend I plan to take pictures, if offices are open, to try and better show and explain some of the things I am talking about. The two day break will be refreshing as I managed to travel by subway and bus to a Target, so I could stock up for the weekend. I hope I learn as much next week as I did in week one. I will be doing homework and other housekeeping stuff, so if you have any questions, drop me an email or give me a ring, and I would love to chat! Have a good weekend!