Global competition

We want to increase the outreach and the adoption of climate smart agricultural practices by American Agriculture. And Agriculture Secretary Tom Vilsack telling an audience in Colorado Thursday that the USDA is going all out on this front with several new initiatives and is asking Congress for more resources to make agriculture more sustainable and environmentally friendly. Why? Well, first, of course, to slow the effects of climate change. But Vilsack also voiced another reason to pursue this Speaker1: Because the market wants it. You, as consumers are beginning to demand to know more about where your food is coming from and how it's being produced, and whether or not it's contributing to a changing climate, or it's helping us deal with a changing climate. He said USDA research and pilot projects on climate smart practices will generate information that will help farmers answer those questions. Speaker1: It's going to allow us ultimately to set the standard for what a climate smart commodity actually is. Just in the same way we currently set the standard for what an organic commodity is Speaker2: So consumers can make informed choices. It is very much an export imperative because our competitors globally have now understand this. They may have different paths and different routes to get to the same ultimate conclusion of a climate smart commodity, but they're going to market it such based on their system in Asia and Africa, where there are growing market opportunities. We want to make sure that we remain competitive.