11/18/08 Ag Secretary Talks Change

Ag Secretary Talks Change. I'm Greg Martin with today's Line On Agriculture. Last week at the annual National Association of Farm Broadcasters Convention in Kansas City, Ag Secretary Ed Schafer talked with farm reporters from all over the country about the various issues facing agriculture. He started off though by answering the two big questions on everyone's lips. SCHAFER: The answer is, No, we don't have the ACRE program  we're going to do so. And I don't know what I'm going to be doing come January 21st. The Obama administration will of course be picking a new head for the USDA but Schafer took a few minutes to look back at the last 8 years and take a peek into the future. SCHAFER: Senator Obama's election has drawn the world's attention because of who he is and because of the very positive things his journey to the White House has brought to our country. But in the coming years what will probably be more relevant to all of usand certainly to youis what the President-elect thinks about agriculture, about trade and conservation, about renewable energy and nutrition issues and how his views will translate into public policy. Schafer says he hopes that the new administration will remain bipartisan. SCHAFER: The past eight years have been a remarkable time for American agriculture. President Bush has ushered in an unprecedented growth in the agriculture economy. And it's my hope that the Obama administration will look at the long line of administration successes in agriculture and find a way to build on them with a bipartisan approach. He also said that the ag industry expects to reach new highs in the coming months. SCHAFER: The prosperity that we see in agriculture today is driven by strong commodity prices, rising export demand and the rapid growth of the renewable fuel industry in rural America. This year cash farm income is on track to set an all-time record of over $100 billion. And we expect export sales to reach a record $114 billion and generate one-third of all cash receipts for U.S. farms. Tomorrow, more with Ag Secretary Ed Schafer. That's today's Line On Agriculture. I'm Greg Martin on the Northwest Ag Information Network.