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To echo the President’s message, Secretary Vilsack traveled to Columbus, Ohio to hold a rural opportunity town hall where he announced the expansion of USDA’s StrikeForce for Rural Growth and Opportunity Initiative to four new states: Ohio, Florida, Missouri and Montana. Last week’s announcement brings USDA’s total StrikeForce investment to $23.5 billion, creating jobs, building homes, feeding children, assisting farmers and conserving natural resources in the country’s high-poverty rural areas. By partnering with more than 1,500 community organizations, businesses, foundations, universities, faith-based and other community groups, the StrikeForce has brought promise and results to 970 counties through support of nearly 190,000 projects nationwide. Read more about USDA’s StrikeForce Initiative and learn about USDA’s overall investments in each of the four new states, including Ohio where the announcement was made. In honor of Martin Luther King Jr. Day, Secretary Vilsack also thanked the employees of USDA for their years of dedicated work in support of Dr. King’s life and legacy of service on behalf of the American people. You can read his letter on the USDA Blog. Throughout 2016, we’ll be taking a look back at how eight years of historic investments from the Obama Administration and USDA have supported our nation’s producers, yielding positive #USDAResults for the American farmer and for the American people. Tune in each month for a new focus, beginning this month with a celebration of the American farmers and ranchers who work tirelessly to ensure that our food supply is safe, plentiful and nutritious: medium.com/usda-results.
Honoring a Legacy of Service on Martin Luther King Jr. Day
The White House will announce Friday that President Obama is appointing Agriculture Secretary Tom Vilsack, his Cabinet’s longest-serving member, to lead a new interagency effort focused on addressing rural America’s struggle with heroin and opioid abuse as well as other pressing problems.
Obama picks Tom Vilsack to address heroin spike (CNN 1/15) President Barack Obama is naming a Cabinet-level point person to address the problem of heroin and other opiate use in rural communities, the White House said Friday. Agriculture Secretary Tom Vilsack, the longest-serving member of Obama's original Cabinet, will head an effort probing many of the particular ailments facing America's small towns.
U.S. Agriculture Secretary Tom Vilsack has planned a visit to Ohio to talk about rural growth and opportunity. Vilsack was scheduled to appear in Columbus Friday along with Ohio State University President Michael Drake. The U.S. Department of Agriculture says it has invested more than $32 billion in Ohio's economy and an announcement by Vilsack will show a commitment to further spending. The event is part of a White house effort sending cabinet members around the country to talk about issues raised in President Barack Obama's State of the Union address earlier this week.
Exclusive interview with Ag Secretary Tom Vilsack (Brownfield Ag News 1/14)[AUDIO] In an exclusive interview today with Agriculture Secretary Tom Vilsack, we covered several topics including Vilsack’s thoughts on President Obama’s State of the Union address as it relates to rural America; the need to invest more in agricultural research; the Secretary’s recent meeting with representatives of both sides of the contentious GMO labeling issue; requests to have cottonseed designated as an oilseed; and China’s anti-dumping and anti-subsidy probes of DDGS imports from the U.S.
Ag Secy Vilsack Talks SOTU, Trade & Climate (AgWired 1/14)[AUDIO] USDA Ag Secretary Tom Vilsack held a press call yesterday to discuss President Obama’s last State of the Union (SOTU) address. Vilsack, who has served in the capacity of Ag Secretary throughout Obama’s Administration, was in attendance during the speech. He said he is very proud to have been part of an administration that has basically taken the country from a brink of an economic collapse to where we are today. He noted that there is still a lot of work to do and one way change will continue is through what President Obama termed the “innovation economy”.
Obama highlights trade, climate change in State of the Union (FeedStuffs 1/13) Some familiar subjects again surfaced in this year’s State of the Union address from President Obama as he highlighted the need for passing the Trans-Pacific Partnership and need to address global issues such as climate change. He noted that the TPP agreement opens up markets, protects workers and the environment, and advances American leadership in Asia. “With TPP, China does not set the rules in that region; we do. You want to show our strength in this new century? Approve this agreement. Give us the tools to enforce it. It's the right thing to do,” he said. Vilsack's State of the Union Sneak Peek (AgWeb 1/12)[AUDIO] In his Jan. 12 State of the Union address, President Barack Obama is expected to cover a variety of domestic and foreign issues. Will agriculture get any of the limelight? U.S. Agriculture Secretary Tom Vilsack says certain issues that affect the industry may very well get mentioned. “I think he is going to make a strong pitch for the Trans-Pacific Partnership,” he said during a radio interview with AgriTalk’s Mike Adams. “I think he recognizes the importance it plays in maintaining the economic strength of America.
(AUDIO) VILSACK ON TRADE WHILE AT AFBF (KTIC Radio 1/12) U.S. Secretary of Agriculture, Tom Vilsack, made an appearance at American Farm Bureau Annual Meeting in Orlando. Farm Bureau has been asking members at conference to complete surveys about USDA and it’s programs. This would then help the agency to better serve the producers.
Farmers grill USDA chief on issues (Capital Press 1/11) Growers who attended the American Farm Bureau Federation’s this week convention got the rare opportunity to directly grill USDA Secretary Tom Vilsack about his agency’s policies.
U.S. Agriculture Secretary Tom Vilsack and Vermont officials have announced a $46 million dollar loan program that will be used to help Vermonters and small businesses improve energy efficiency. Vilsack was joined by Democratic U.S. Sen. Patrick Leahy and Gov. Peter Shumlin at the announcement Friday. Leahy's office says the project will be carried out by the Vermont Energy Investment Corporation, which will provide long-term, low-interest loans to individuals, small businesses and town governments to support energy improvement projects, such as weatherization improvements, high efficiency lighting or conversion to renewable sources like consumer-scale solar power.
USDA awards $46M to help Vermonters cut energy bills (WPTZ 1/8)[VIDEO] The U.S. Department of Agriculture has awarded Vermont millions of dollars in loan funding to help homeowners, farmers, and businesses reduce their energy bills. Secretary Tom Vilsack said USDA hopes its first-ever statewide award will help propel Vermont toward its goal of securing 90 percent of its energy from renewable sources by 2050.
Vermont receives new loan to boost energy efficiency efforts (WCAX News 1/8) Making Vermont homes and businesses more energy efficient is about to get a little easier. It's thanks to a new $46 million federal loan from the U.S. Department of Agriculture. "We said we want to lead because Vermont gets that the clock is ticking, we're running out of time," said Gov. Peter Shumlin, D-Vermont.
Feds commit $46 million for energy efficiency in VT (Burlington Free Press 1/8) Tom Vilsack, secretary of the U.S. Department of Agriculture, came to Vermont to announce a $46 million program funded by his agency to support energy efficiency investments in the state. Vilsack was flanked on Friday by Sen. Patrick Leahy, D-Vt., Gov. Peter Shumlin and Scott Johnstone, executive director of the Vermont Energy Investment Corp., to make the announcement at VEIC. The corporation will administer the loans given to individual homeowners, small businesses and town governments for a broad range of projects.
USDA loan program unveiled (Barre Montpelier Times Argus 1/9) U.S. Agriculture Secretary Tom Vilsack and Vermont officials Friday announced a $46 million loan guarantee program that will help residents and small businesses improve energy efficiency. The project will be carried out by the Vermont Energy Investment Corporation, which will provide long-term, low-interest loans to individuals, small businesses and local governments to support projects such as weatherization improvements, high efficiency lighting or conversion to renewable sources like solar power.
USDA APPROVES $46 MILLION IN LOANS FOR ENERGY EFFICIENCY (VTDigger 1/8) The USDA has approved funding for $46 million in loans for energy efficiency projects in Vermont. The Vermont Energy Investment Corporation will administer the low cost, flexible term financing to Vermont businesses and homeowners. Tom Vilsack, the secretary of the Department of Agriculture, made the announcement on Friday in Burlington.
A new federal financing program will provide loans to Vermont individuals, small businesses and town governments to support a broad range of energy improvement projects.
U.S. Agriculture Secretary Tom Vilsack and Vermont officials have announced a $46-million loan program that will be used to help Vermonters and small businesses improve energy efficiency.
Obama Talks Trade In State Of Union Address Broadcast Date: Wed, January 13, 2016 In his State of the Union address the President talked about some pending issues that could affect U.S. farmers and the food and agriculture sector. (Gary Crawford and President Barack Obama) Broadcast Date: Thurs, January 14, 2016 The nation's farm credit system was created 100 years ago and continues its support of rural America. (Rod Bain and Megan Fairchild Anderson of AgriBank) Broadcast Date: Thurs, January 14, 2016 Megan Fairchild Anderson of AgriBank explains the structure of the nation's farm credit system, and how its serves customers on the local level.
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