Jan. 20, 2011

Ginger Murphy, who received a master of landscape architecture degree from SNRE in 2000, was named this week by U.S. Department of Agriculture Secretary Tom Vilsack to a year-long assignment providing support to the agriculture mission in Afghanistan.

"The Obama administration has identified agriculture as the top reconstruction priority for the U.S. government in Afghanistan," Vilsack said. "One of the most important ways we can revitalize the country's once vibrant agricultural sector is by sharing the expertise of senior leaders like Ginger who offer their personal passion and knowledge to help protect and restore Afghanistan's vital natural resources."

In Afghanistan, Murphy will help implement and refine the country's agriculture strategy and will also help coordinate the many agricultural projects being implemented by all the U.S. Government organizations.

Murphy first went to Afghanistan last summer on a short-term assignment to help the Afghan government develop a plan to preserve and protect the country's natural resources in advance of a major donor conference.

In taking on a year-long commitment, Murphy joins more than a hundred USDA employees who have served as long-term advisors in Afghanistan since 2003. More than a quarter of USDA's advisors have been NRCS employees, providing expertise in areas such as crop production, plant protection, soil analysis, irrigation, conservation planning, natural resources management, animal health and livestock management, and program development and implementation.

Murphy has been Associate Chief of USDA's Natural Resource Conservation Service (NRCS) since June 2009. During that time, she has been instrumental in implementing organizational changes and enhancing existing processes to increase the agency's efficiency and effectiveness. She began her career with NRCS as a soil conservationist and served the agency in a variety of positions at the state and national levels.

"As conservation professionals who understand the needs of agricultural producers, NRCS personnel bring uniquely relevant skills to the task of rebuilding Afghanistan's agricultural sector," NRCS Chief Dave White said. "Ginger Murphy brings to her work in Afghanistan not only a rich base of field experience but extensive program management and policy experience as well."

She was the state conservationist in Maryland and in Delaware before moving to NRCS headquarters, where she served in a variety of management roles. During the writing of the 2008 Farm Bill, she served on a detail assignment as the legislative assistant for Agriculture to U. S. Sen. Dianne Feinstein (D-Calif.)