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Contact: USDA Press
Phone: (202) 720-4623
Email: press@xxxxxxxxxxx
Agriculture Secretary Perdue to Kick Off “Back to Our Roots” RV Tour
Five-State Tour to Focus on Rural Prosperity, Preparation for 2018 Farm Bill
(Washington, D.C., August 1, 2017) – U.S. Secretary of Agriculture Sonny Perdue today announced that he will embark on a five-state RV tour, titled the “Back to Our Roots” Tour, to gather input on the 2018 Farm Bill and increasing rural prosperity. Along the way, Perdue will meet with farmers, ranchers, foresters, producers, students, governors, Members of Congress, U.S. Department of Agriculture (USDA) employees, and other stakeholders. This is the first of two RV tours the secretary will undertake this summer. In making the announcement, Secretary Perdue issued the following statement:
“The ‘Back to our Roots’ Farm Bill and rural prosperity RV listening tour will allow us to hear directly from people in agriculture across the country, as well as our consumers – they are the ones on the front lines of American agriculture and they know best what the current issues are,” Perdue said. “USDA will be intimately involved as Congress deliberates and formulates the 2018 Farm Bill. We are committed to making the resources and the research available so that Congress can make good facts-based, data-driven decisions. It’s important to look at past practices to see what has worked and what has not worked, so that we create a farm bill for the future that will be embraced by American agriculture in 2018.”
This first RV Tour will feature stops in five states: Wisconsin, Minnesota, Iowa, Illinois, and Indiana. For social media purposes, Secretary Perdue’s Twitter account (@SecretarySonny) will be using the hashtag #BackToOurRoots.
Media outlets wishing to cover events on the tour must RSVP to press@xxxxxxxxxxx. Media should indicate which events they are planning to attend. Some events involving outside organizations may require additional credentialing as noted.
Back to Our Roots RV Tour
NOTE: Schedule of events is subject to change.
Thursday, August 3, 2017
Wisconsin
9:30 a.m. CDT Wisconsin State Fair Opening with Gov. Scott Walker
Secretary Perdue will participate in the opening ceremonies of the 2017 Wisconsin State Fair with Governor Scott Walker before taking a tour of the fair. Press gaggle to follow.
Wisconsin State Fair Park
640 S. 84th Street
West Allis, WI
12:00 p.m. CDT Farm Bill Listening Session
Secretary Perdue and Wisconsin Secretary of Agriculture Ben Brancel will discuss the 2018 Farm Bill with local farmers. Press photographers will be permitted to spray the top of the meeting, with a press gaggle to follow.
Wisconsin State Fair Park
Tommy G. Thompson Youth Center
1:30 p.m. CDT Tour of Hunger Task Force Farm
Secretary Perdue will tour the vegetable farm, which administers USDA commodity programs and services area food pantries and food banks. Open press.
Hunger Task Force Farm
9000 S. 68th Street
Franklin, WI
4:00 p.m. CDT Media Availability with Speaker Paul Ryan at Blain Supply
Secretary Perdue and Speaker Ryan will meet with Blain Supply store managers from across the country. Press photographers will be permitted to spray the top of the meeting, with a press gaggle to follow.
Blain Supply
3507 E. Racine Street
Janesville, WI
Friday, August 4, 2017
8:30 a.m. CDT Task Force on Agriculture and Rural Prosperity Listening Session
Secretary Perdue will host a Task Force listening session with local elected officials, broadband industry leaders, farm bureau members, students, and local farmers. Open press.
Northcentral Technical College
1000 W. Campus Drive
Wausau, WI
11:30 a.m. CDT Farm Bureau Lunch
Secretary Perdue will attend a lunch hosted by Wisconsin Farm Bureau President James Holt. Press photographers will be permitted to spray the top of the meeting, with a press gaggle to follow.
Holt Farms
N2478 County Road H
Elk Mound, WI
Minnesota
3:30 p.m. CDT Farm Bill Roundtable
Secretary Perdue will participate in a discussion of the 2018 Farm Bill with Minnesota Farm Bureau President Kevin Paap, local farmers, and agriculture leaders. Press photographers will be permitted to spray the top of the meeting, with a press gaggle to follow.
Paap Farm
14871 510th Avenue
Garden City, MN
7:10 p.m. CDT USDA Night at the Minnesota Twins game
Secretary Perdue will join USDA employees at the baseball game.
Media credentialing information for this event is forthcoming.
Target Field
1 Twins Way
Minneapolis, MN
Saturday, August 5, 2017
Iowa
8:00 a.m. CDT Tour of Sukup Manufacturing
Secretary Perdue will tour Sukup Manufacturing, a family-owned Manufacturer of grain bins and dryers and other equipment. Open press.
Sukup Manufacturing
1555 255th Street
Sheffield, IA
11:00 a.m. CDT Keynote Address at Iowa Ag Summit
Secretary Perdue will deliver the keynote speech at the 2017 Iowa Ag summit. Open press.
Iowa Events Center
730 3rd Street
Des Moines, IA
12:00 p.m. CDT Beginning Farmer Roundtable with Gov. Kim Reynolds
Secretary Perdue will discuss the 2018 Farm Bill with Gov. Reynolds and a gathering of local beginning farmers. Press photographers will be permitted to spray the top of the tour, with a press gaggle to follow.
Iowa Events Center (room TBD)
730 3rd Street
Des Moines, IA
1:30 p.m. CDT Iowa Living History Farm Grain Harvest Festival
Secretary Perdue will tour the festival, watch part of a historic baseball game, and visit the 1900 farm. Open press.
Living History Farms
11121 Hickman Road
Urbandale, IA
Sunday, August 6, 2017
1:00 p.m. CDT Mississippi Valley Fair
Secretary Perdue will tour the Iowa building, which showcases agriculture-related STEM education, and participate in a farm safety demonstration. Open press.
Mississippi Valley Fair
Iowa Building
2815 West Locust Street
Davenport, IA
Monday, August 7, 2017
Illinois
11:00 a.m. CDT Farm Bill Discussion
Secretary Perdue will participate in a discussion of the 2018 Farm Bill with Illinois Agriculture Director Raymond Poe and members of the Illinois Farm Bureau. Press photographers will be permitted to spray the top of the meeting, with a press gaggle to follow.
Beaty Farm
10889 Clarksville Road
Rochester, IL
3:00 p.m. CDT Roundtable Discussion
Secretary Perdue will participate in a roundtable discussion of fertilizer issues with members of the agriculture community. Press photographers will be permitted to spray the top of the meeting, with a press gaggle to follow.
Evergreen FS, Chenoa FS Plant
315 W. Scott Street
Chenoa, IL
6:15 p.m. CDT Livestock Show at the Georgetown Fair
Secretary Perdue will offer brief remarks at the open livestock show and tour the Georgetown Fair. Open press.
Georgetown Fair
413 N. Seminary Street
Georgetown, IL
Tuesday, August 8, 2017
Indiana
9:00 a.m. EDT Fuel Up to Play 60 Event at Indianapolis Colts Training Camp
Secretary Perdue will participate in an event promoting USDA’s role in the NFL’s Fuel Up to Play 60 program with retired football great and NFL Hall-of-Famer Marshall Faulk. Information regarding media credentialing for this event is forthcoming.
Indianapolis Colts Training Camp
7001 W. 56th Street
Indianapolis, IN
11:00 a.m. EDT Tour of Indiana State Fair
Secretary Perdue will tour the Indiana State Fair. Open press.
1202 E. 86th Street
Indianapolis, IN
12:00 p.m. EDT Farm Bill Listening Session
Secretary Perdue will participate in a listening session regarding the 2018 Farm Bill with Gov. Eric Holcomb, Lt. Gov. Suzanne Crouch, Indiana Farm Bureau President Randy Kron, and members of the agriculture community. Press photographers will be permitted to spray the top of the meeting, with a press gaggle to follow.
Indiana State Fair Grounds
Normandy Building
Indianapolis, IN
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