"Our generation is challenging you to bring the best of the past into the future," Vermont Secretary of the Agency of Agriculture, Food and Markets Roger Allbee told the CALS Class of 2009 as he delivered the commencement address to the 205th College of Agriculture and Life Sciences graduation ceremony Sunday, May 17 at the UVM athletic campus. He cited food security (world hunger), food safety and promotion of local foods, also, energy self sufficiency and environmental protection as areas in which the next generation must take on the challenge. Allbee spoke of the changes and dreams of three generations: his parents', his own and the next generation sitting before him. The families, friends and some 272 graduates were in the audience. See related story. Vermont Gov. James Douglas appointed Allbee secretary of agriculture in 2007. The Townshend resident served as executive director of the United States Department of Agriculture's Farm Services Agency in Vermont since March, 2003. Prior to that, he was a food and agri-business consultant, a vice president at Farm Credit Banks of Springfield and a staff member for the U.S. House of Representatives Committee on Agriculture. Allbee was also consultant to the Governor's task force on agricultural and forestry taxation, agricultural advisor to former Vermont Congressman James Jeffords and author of the first national research bill on acid rain. He earned his Bachelor of Science degree in agricultural economics from UVM and his Master of Science degree in agricultural economics from the University of Massachusetts. He has remained a close friend of the College since his graduation in 1967, serving on many committees and the CALS Advisory Board. Allbee won the College's Outstanding Alumni Award in 2003.