Over 100 people packed into a tent under cloudy, drizzly conditions Thursday afternoon for the announcement of the StrikeForce for Rural Growth and Opportunity in Alabama at the AL Hooks Produce farm near Shorter.
The primary goal of the StrikeForce initiative is to increase partnership with rural communities and leverage community resources in targeted, persistent poverty areas. Speakers at the event included various local and state folks as I was able to catch up with most of them afterwards. That includes Dr. William Puckett, NRCS State Conservationist in Alabama.
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Tuskegee University was well represented at the event as their Vice Provost and Dean of the College of Agriculture, Environment and Nutrition Sciences, Dr. Walter Hill, was the moderator for the event.
AL Hooks, owner of the produce farm near Shorter, Alabama where it took place, told me he was proud to host the event as is looking forward to what the Strikeforce can do for their county and others across the state.
Alabama Commissioner of Agriculture John McMillan was also one of the speakers at yesterday’s announcement, as this is an event he has been looking forward to for some time.
President of Tuskegee University, Dr. Gilbert Rochon, told the crowd he was pleased with the partnership with all of the agencies involved in the Strikeforce along with the land grant universities in Alabama.
Erin Swanson-Hall, Deputy Regional Administrator with the USDA Food and Nutrition Service’s Southeast Region in Atlanta, talks about how they will be involved with this new Strikeforce.
Ron Sparks, Director of Alabama’s Development Office, was another who spoke about the StrikeForce launch and what it means for rural growth and opportunities in 23 persistent poverty areas in Alabama.