Vilsack to Commodity Classic: You're All Gold Medalists
In a general morning session on March 5 at the 2010 Commodity Classic, a room full of farmers stood to applaud and welcome U.S. Secretary of Agriculture Tom Vilsack.
“I’m a bit nervous as I speak today,” said Vilsack. “I don’t usually get nervous but I’m nervous today because I realize the significance and the importance of the group I’m talking to.”
Vilsack said he felt he was standing in the presence of gold medalists: a room full of farmers who make this country great and, unfortunately, do not get the recognition they deserve. “This has to change,” he said.
“It starts with an appreciation of what you do for us. Affordable, abundant food that allows us to do all the other jobs we do, the economic opportunities you create for one out of every 12 workers, and the surpluses you create in trade that allows us to create wealth in this country.”
It’s vital for Americans to realize what farmers do for the country, Vilsack said. “Rural America is shrinking and farmers are getting older with fewer and fewer young people entering the profession.”
Vilsack stressed that rural America has to be protected. “I want to talk to you about the fight for rural America,” he said. “It’s an important fight for this country because it isn’t just about the economic connection rural America has, it isn’t just about the food, fuel, and the fiber; it is about the value system of rural America.
“If we want to bring prosperity back to rural America in a meaning and significant way,” he said, “ we have to start by expanding market opportunities, globally and domestically. We also have to focus on continuing to expand rural opportunities for those who don’t necessarily work on a farm but want to be part of rural America. It will require both.
“We have to think differently about trade. In the past, we’ve approached trade with a one-size-fits-all approach,” Vilsack said. “I want to talk to you about a new strategy and approach we will put in place. We will recognize that there are different markets, depending on where we are in the globe; it will be different strategies for different markets.”
To expand rural opportunities the agriculture industry must develop connections with other industries and focus on rural development, he said. “It’s important to have allies, important for people to understand what you all do, how important you are. That’s part of what USDA is about. Helping to build those alliances and connections so that people understand what you do. We also have to focus on rural development and the ability to build businesses and small businesses that surround our farmlands, so that off-farm income opportunities are available.”
Vilsack emphasized what farmers do for the United States and how important it will be to protect the future of rural America. With the expansion of trade and educating Americans about the value system and life in rural America, Vilsack said that a win in the fight for rural America was possible.
“On behalf of Americans who may not understand and appreciate what you do every day,” he said, “who haven’t said thank you, let me leave you simply with a thank from the bottom of my heart for what you do. You have made this country, you continue to make this country, and I hope that you and I together can fight for rural America.”
