President Obama Tuesday ordered American flags at all U.S. government buildings and facilities remain at half-staff in memory of Senator Daniel K. Inouye, President pro tempore of the United States Senate, until the date of his interment. In concurrence with the President’s order Gov. Markell has ordered the American and Delaware flags at state buildings facilities also be flown at half-staff until such date.

Photos available for media use on Flickr.

DOVER – Former state Senate President Pro Tempore and Secretary of Finance Richard S. Cordrey was honored Wednesday for his 35 years in public service to the State of Delaware with the renaming of the state Department of Agriculture headquarters in his honor.

Cordrey, a Millsboro-area farmer, is the longest-serving Senate President Pro Tempore in Delaware history, serving in that role for 20 years and as a senator for 24 years. Before being elected to the Senate, Cordrey served two years in the House of Representatives. He also served as Secretary of Finance after his retirement from the Senate.

“Senator Cordrey’s long service to the people of Delaware is an example of true dedication,” said Governor Jack Markell. “His three decades in public office were spent tirelessly working for his constituents and the greater good of the State.”

“Senator Cordrey has always been a strong voice for Delaware farmers,” said Secretary of Agriculture Ed Kee. “He knows the land, having worked it since his childhood, and he knows the people, as a native son of Sussex County.”

Senate Bill 249, which named the building after Cordrey, passed unanimously in both chambers during the last General Assembly Session.

“He is a tremendous asset to our state,” said Rep. John Atkins, chairman of the House Agriculture Committee and a primary sponsor of the bill. “I have known Senator Cordrey my entire life – my grandfather worked for his father, and continued to work for him. The contributions he has made to agriculture have been invaluable. I was very pleased to be able to sponsor this bill.”

“When you look at everything Senator Cordrey has done, this is a fitting tribute,” said former Sen. George H. Bunting Jr., a primary sponsor of the bill. “He’s been around agriculture all his life and earned great respect in the agricultural and business communities and, of course, he was the longest-serving pro tem in the history of the Senate and was a great mentor to many of us. Working with his sons, he’s still active in the business community, so I was pleased to have been able to do that for him.”

Senator Cordrey said the dedication was an immense honor. “If I had any choice of any building to have my name put upon, it would be this one right here,” he said. “I have had the two best jobs anyone has ever had in the world – being a legislator and being a farmer.”

Senator Cordrey was born and raised in Millsboro, where he still lives. He graduated from Millsboro High School and Goldey-Beacom College, and after serving in the U.S. Army, returned to Millsboro, where he would own and operate R.S.C. Farms for more than 50 years.

He met his wife, Mary Jane, at Goldey-Beacom, and they were married in 1953. The couple has two sons, Rick and Steve, who are owners of East Coast Garden Center and the Cordrey Center in Millsboro.

Senator Cordrey was elected to the state House of Representatives in 1970 and the state Senate in 1972. He was chosen as Senate Majority Leader in 1974, and in 1976 began his record 20-year service as Senate President Pro Tempore. He also served on the Millsboro Town Council from 1965 to 1973. He retired from the Senate in 1996, and was selected by Gov. Ruth Ann Minner to serve as Secretary of Finance from 2005 to 2009.

Photos available for media use on Flickr.

# # #

Contact:
Dan Shortridge
Chief of Community Relations
Delaware Department of Agriculture
302-698-4520

DOVER – Delaware’s farmers are being encouraged to complete the 2012 Census of Agriculture, a vitally important tool that helps agriculture advocates, policymakers and others make informed decisions about the future of agriculture.

For the first time, the Census will gather specific data about conservation techniques, including conservation tillage, cover crops and conservation easements, to show the impact of farmers’ positive environmental practices. That information is vital to telling the complete story of agriculture’s contributions, Delaware Secretary of Agriculture Ed Kee said in urging farmers to complete the Census.

“The Census is critical to helping everyone understand the scale and strength of Delaware agriculture, and it is critical that farmers complete it,” said Kee, who recently recorded a public service announcement about the Census. “Farming is Delaware’s No. 1 industry, worth $8 billion, and the Census is the best tool to help us gather information about it. It is an important snapshot of our industry’s growth and successes.”

The Census, completed every five years, is conducted by the National Agricultural Statistics Service, part of the U.S. Department of Agriculture. Forms are being mailed out now, and completed forms are due by Feb. 4, through the mail or online. Data from the Census will be released in early 2014, and can be analyzed on the state, county or zip code level.

The Census gathers information on farm operators, demographics, production practices, income, expenditures, land use and other topics. Policymakers, legislators and agribusiness vendors use the local data to serve farmers and rural communities, while farmers use the state and national data to improve marketing of their products. In the 2007 Census, 2,546 Delaware farmers reported $1.1 billion in sales.

“The Census remains the only source of uniform, comprehensive agricultural data for every county in the nation,” said Renee Picanso, director of NASS’s Census and Survey Division. “It’s a critical tool that gives farmers a voice to influence decisions that will shape the future of their community, industry and operation.”

The Census is also the source for such information as the number of female farmers, the number of people living on farms and the amount of farm sales made directly to consumers. The Census defines farms as operations that produce and sell, or have the potential to sell, at least $1,000 in agricultural products during 2012. Participation in the Census is required by law.

Census responses are confidential, and used only for data collection. Information about individual farms is not released.

Farmers can get more information and complete the Census online at http://www.agcensus.usda.gov/index.php.

# # #

Media contacts:

For information about the Census of Agriculture, contact representatives of the National Agricultural Statistics Service, Sue King, (202) 690-8122, or Krissy Young, (202) 690-8123.
For interviews with Secretary Kee about the importance of the Census, contact Dan Shortridge, Delaware Department of Agriculture, (302) 698-4520.
For Delaware-specific statistics from the 2007 Census, contact Chris Cadwallader, director of the NASS Delaware Field Office, (302) 698-4537.

(New Castle, DE) Today at 11:59 a.m., Delaware Governor Jack Markell and Delaware River and Bay Authority Commissioners congratulated Jeff Wright of Wildwood, New Jersey, on being the one billionth customer at the Delaware Memorial Bridge.  The 51-year-old computer consultant was heading to Wilmington, Delaware to meet with a customer.  Governor Markell presented Mr. Wright with a framed commemorative photo of the Delaware Memorial Bridge; a copy of Bill Miller’s “Crossing the Delaware”, a book that chronicles the history of the Delaware Memorial Bridge; and a souvenir silver Bridge token. In addition, the Delaware River and Bay Authority will load $250 onto Mr. Wright’s E-ZPass account. The ceremony took place in lane two at the Delaware Memorial Bridge Toll Plaza.

(Smyrna) – The Delaware Emergency Management Agency (DEMA) reminds private non-profit organizations in Delaware determined to be eligible for disaster loans in the wake of Tropical Storm Sandy that the deadline for loan applications is Tuesday, January 15, 2013.  The loans are available to private non-profit organizations statewide.

Low-interest loans are offered to eligible private non-profit organizations by the U.S. Small Business Administration (SBA) for physical loss up to the loan limits, while approved loans can be increased to allow for protective measures designed to mitigate similar future storm damages. Private non-profits can also receive loans to meet working capital needs.  

All applications must be received by the SBA by the January 15, 2013 deadline.  Applications can be made online using the Electronic Loan Application available at the SBA’s secure website (https://disasterloan.sba.gov/ela).  Loan forms and information can also be obtained by calling the SBA’s Customer Service Center at 800-659-2955 (800-877-8339 for hearing impaired callers), or by sending an email to disastercustomerservice@sba.gov.

Applicants can also download an application from the Small Business Administration website (www.sba.gov).  Completed applications submitted via mail should be sent to U.S. Small Business Administration, Processing and Disbursement Center, 14925 Kingsport Road, Fort Worth, TX  76155.

Non-critical private non-profits that are eligible for loans may include (but are not limited to) colleges, community centers, food kitchens, homeless shelters, libraries, museums, and schools.