Agriculture Deputy Secretary Merrigan has launched a website – “Know Your Farmer, Know Your Food,” and plans a Facebook chat to expand the conversation on local food systems.  The new web pages and on-line tools will help consumers make healthier food choices.  There is a lot on this website to explore. This is a USDA effort to create new economic opportunities by better connecting consumers with local producers. It is also the start of a national conversation about the importance of understanding where your food comes from and how it gets to your plate. Today, there is too much distance between the average American and the farmer, and the USDA hopes to create links. To log on, click on to www.usda.gov/wps/portal/usda/knowyourfarmer?navid=KNOWYOURFARMER (I know, could they possibly have made that address a little shorter?)