HMRC&D Chair Donna Murray Wins National USDA Award

Troy, N. Y., Jun. 14, 2010–In a time when the farming industry needs all the help it can get, it has found a friend and supporter in Donna Murray. It is Donna’s efforts through the Hudson Mohawk Resource Conservation and Development Council (HMRC&D) that won her the 2009 East Region Individual Earth Team Award from the United States Department of Agriculture, Natural Resources Conservation Service.

In 2009, Donna served 288 hours as an Earth Team volunteer. State Conservationist Astor Boozer presented Donna with her award during the council’s May meeting. The NRCS Earth Team volunteer program has been around since 1981. In 2009, more than 30,000 Earth Team volunteers donated 800,000 hours of their time to conservation. These volunteers gave NRCS $15 million dollars worth of time to preserve our lands and farms for future generations.

Part of what motivates Donna is her experience growing up on a dairy farm in Rensselaer County and seeing firsthand the challenges farmers face. Donna said, “The Hudson Mohawk RC&D Council gave me the opportunity to work with my fellow council members on several projects that benefit both farmers and the community at large. I will continue to volunteer my service by advocating for farmers and finding opportunities to strengthen the agricultural industry in the Hudson Mohawk Region.”

Donna devoted her time to chairing the RC&D council and running its projects, in particular the Northeast Livestock Processing Service Company, assisting the project since its beginnings in 2002. Donna has been particularly effective at reaching out to limited resource, beginning, and women farmers. The company currently assists 103 farmers in 22 New York counties by helping farmers find processing, schedule appointments with processors, provide technical assistance, find new markets for NYS meat, help farmers find additional meat to retail, and provide education to livestock farmers. It is conservatively estimated that the company helped expand 80 businesses and create or retain 115 jobs. The council works on projects in six eastern New York counties.

All events are open to the public and anyone is welcome to attend. HMRC&D is an equal opportunity provider and employer.