from food safety news: Last week, Agriculture Deputy Secretary Kathleen Merrigan announced that more than 300 ‘People’s Gardens’ have been planted throughout the country and urged employees of the U.S. Department of Agriculture (USDA) to continue making plans to plant additional gardens.

The announcement came as Merrigan gave the commencement address to the first graduating class of certified USDA Executive Master Gardner Program volunteers. The program is part of the first ever USDA Department-wide volunteer program for ‘The People’s Garden initiative,’ established on February 12, 2009 by Agriculture Secretary Tom Vilsack.

‘The People’s Garden’ initiative challenges USDA’s employees to plant and maintain gardens at USDA facilities worldwide or help communities create gardens. A ‘People’s Garden’ can vary in size and type, but all have a common purpose–to help the community they are within and the environment.