The US agriculture delegation`s visit in Bogor was to observe the research infrastructure at the facility, Scuse said here Thursday.
"So the main purpose is to see the SEAFAST facility, and see how the researchers work, " he said.
Scuse also expressed his amazement at the completeness of the facility`s equipment.
Scuse also said Indonesia and the US had a comprehensive partnership which gives an opportunity for cooperation to assist people`s welfare programs.
IPB SEAFAST Center head Purwiyanto Hariyadi said that Michael Scuse`s visit would open better and broader opportunities fot agricultural cooperation in the future.
"Further, the assistance needed will be more in the form of capacity building, agricultural student and researchers exchanges, and many more forms," he said.
According to the US Embassy to Indonesia`s Senior Information Specialist Public Affairs Section Indar Juniardi said that Michael Scuse was appointed as the USDA Acting under Secretary for the Farm and Foreign Agricultural Services (FFAS) by the US Agriculture Secretary Tom Vilsack on April 2009.
Scuse`s main task is to handle programs within the FFAS`s mission scope, where the FFAS is appointed to broaden and form a new market for American products, increase US agriculture competitive position also to provide technical assistance and food grants abroad.
Scuse had bee the chairman of the Association of State Agricultural Department in the northeast region, and during his tenure he managed to eradicate the avian flu virus with the help of the University of Delaware and local poultry industries.(*)
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Editor: Jafar M Sidik
Copyright © ANTARA 2011
