Vilsack Agrees to Second Term as Ag Secretary

Vilsack Agrees to Second Term as Ag Secretary

I’m KayDee Gilkey with the Northwest Farm and Ranch Report.

Last week USDA Secretary Tom Vilsack announced that he will serve a second term. At the top of his priority list?

Vilsack: “The first thing we need to get is the Food, Farm and Jobs bill, Farm Bill through the process. Because this will provide some of the tools that have basically not been available that are not longer available.”

He says that accomplishment will offer Rural America and its unlimited potential in the future to feed a growing world population, revolution U.S. energy, further protect our natural resources as well as creating more jobs in the U.S.

He shares his concerns and challenges.

Vilsack: “Poverty in the rural areas. I’m deeply concerned with the population loss we’ve seen in rural areas. I think that has translated into less political power, if you will, from rural America and that comprises our ability to get things like the Farm Bill through the process. So it is all very, very important and its all connected. We will continue to be aggressive. We will to continue to be creative and innovative at USDA, even though we are dealing with very stressful budget circumstances.”

Despite these economic challenges, you can expect USDA to press ahead with production agriculture, exports, local and regional food systems, conservation and outdoor recreation along with a biobased economy.