Pat is tireless in his work as director of Idaho s Department of Agriculture. His work with Idaho Farm Bureau and other organizations has made agriculture spokesmen more effective, said Batt. Today, Takasugi s professional efforts are spent mostly addressing the over-regulation and foreign competition that are squeezing his industry. The global market has changed the way farmers do business. It used to be the handshake and knowing the guy, says Takasugi.
Handshakes don t go very far with multi-national companies.
Takasugi tries to protect farmers grappling with bankruptcies by companies who buy from them. We tried to bring industry into the mix more so it s not government making decisions alone. He s created a more efficient, customer-service oriented agency. For example, engineers in his new technical services bureau work with producers to help them keep rivers and streams clean and to protect groundwater by complying with the Clean Water Act. Takasugi worries about the government regulations facing farmers.