Agricultural News
Agriculture Secretary Vilsack Discusses Future of Food at Web Forum
Thu, 23 May 2013 16:13:33 CDT
Agriculture Secretary Tom Vilsack was a featured guest on a recent web forum on food and agriculture issues.
A live internet discussion on "The Future of Food," held at the Washington Post in the nation's capitol, featured a panel of food industry experts, including agriculture Secretary Tom Vilsack. He told the global audience that America's farmers are aging, and that young people have an opportunity in agriculture.
"This is an exciting, challenging opportunity to redefine the American economy, to address the serious issues with climate change, to be able to meet the moral responsibility we have to feed people. And I think if you make agriculture cool, you're going to attract people to it and we won't have quite the problem we have with replacing our producers as they age."
Vilsack said it's important to invest in rural America-and in science-to help farmers meet the challenges of an expanding global population.
"In the next 40 years or so we have to have the same level of productivity in innovation in agriculture as we've had in the preceding 10,000 years. (Host: And is that doable?) I believe it is. But it's only doable if we continue to invest in science and in research.
Vilsack said the farm bill, which is being debated in Congress, is critical.
" One of the hardest things is making sure that every American understands that when the Congress is debating what is commonly referred to as the "farm bill," it really is a food bill, it's a jobs bill and it's a farm bill; that every American has a stake in that legislation.
And Vilsack explained why USDA opposes efforts to drastically reduce SNAP benefits for poor Americans.
" There are jobs throughout the entire supply chain, and eventually it gets back to the farmer. So when you talk about a $20 billion reduction in SNAP, you're also talking about a $2-3 billion reduction in farm income. The better way is to find better employment opportunities for these people. Why aren't we doing a better job at that? If you reduce the SNAP population by 5% by getting them a better paying job, you could save $40 billion in ten years, and you would not have kicked anybody who needs the program out of the program."
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