Part 1: Clayton Resident Beachy Describes USDA Work in Washington, D.C.

Clayton resident Dr. Roger Beachy stays busy. In part, that's because he travels most weeks between St. Louis and Washington, D.C., where he serves as director of the National Institute of Food and Agriculture (NIFA).

Among his office's responsibilities: Funding research, via grants, at universities and other entities such as University of Missouri Extension, which has an office in Clayton. NIFA is part of the U.S. Department of Agriculture.

On Friday, Beachy paid visits to several St. Louis City locations and also the MU Extension office in Clayton.

In a video interview, he spoke with Clayton-Richmond Heights Patch about his busy schedule, the role of NIFA, funding for extension services in light of the economic downturn, NIFA's goals for 2011 and changes at Creve Coeur's Donald Danforth Plant Science Center, for which he previously served as founding president.

Posted here is Part 1, in which Beachy describes his schedule, the role of NIFA and funding for extension services. Part 2 will be published at noon Sunday.