Contact:Tim McNeilly, (202) 690-0498
tmcneill@rdmail.rural.usda.gov

USDA APPOINTS PATRICK BRENNAN TO HEAD RURAL DEVELOPMENT EFFORTS IN NEW YORK

     WASHINGTON, June 1, 2001--The U.S. Department of Agriculture today appointed Patrick H. Brennan as the New York State Director for USDA Rural Development.

     Brennan, from Deansboro, New York, assists with his family's dairy farm operation and serves as a special assistant in agricultural economic development for the New York State Department of Agriculture and Markets. He also has worked on constituent relations for New York State Senator Raymond Meier.

     Working with the New York Agriculture Department in 1999, Brennan played a key role in the creation of an economic development program for New York's agriculture industry, commonly entitled GROW NY. GROW NY is a blend of cooperative grants and technical assistance designed to spur and encourage agricultural expansion in New York. Brennan also administered New York Governor Pataki's Farmland Protection Program and the Agricultural Non-point source Pollution Abatement and Control Programs. Brennan has a Bachelor of Arts degree in criminal justice from the State University of New York in Albany.

     USDA Rural Development serves as the lead federal entity for rural development needs, and administers program assistance through three agencies: Rural Housing Service, Rural Business-Cooperative Service, and Rural Utilities Service. Further information on USDA Rural Development programs can be obtained by visiting USDA's web site at http://www.rurdev.usda.gov.

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