150 years ago, 13 months into the Civil War -- Lincoln enacts Dept. of Agriculture - Proclamation

as noted and celebrated at Obama Food-o-rama (http://www.obamafoodorama.blogspot.com/ )

President Obama on Monday May 14, 2012 hailed the work of the U.S. Department of Agriculture in a Proclamation marking the 150th anniversary of President Abraham Lincoln signing the legislation to establish the agency on May 15, 1862. As he notes the USDA's long reach into everything from conservation to nutrition to rural electrification, President Obama pays tribute to the hundreds of thousands of employees "who have faithfully served our Nation for 150 years," at home and abroad, through natural disasters, wars, and economic calamity.

"For one-and-a-half centuries, USDA has empowered communities across our country and helped ensure we leave our children a future rich with promise and possibility," President Obama wrote.

"For their commitment, our fields grow richer, our abundance grows greater, and our country stands stronger."
http://obamafoodorama.blogspot.com/2012/05/president-obamas-proclamation-150th.html