September 28, 2010
Vilsack addresses biotech, renewable fuels and trade at Big Iron
Published in Minnesota Farm and Ranch Guide
WEST FARGO, N.D. - Agriculture Secretary Tom Vilsack, like many others, spent a large part of his day on Sept. 14 at the opening day of the Big Iron Farm Show. During his visit he held an hour-long question and answer period, met with trade officials from Kazakhstan and visited with several exhibitors at the fall farm show.
In his remarks during the Q & A session, Vilsack stressed the importance of all aspects of farming and ranching working together, since that group represents such a small part of the nation’s population. He stressed this when responding to a question concerning the recent court ban on Roundup Ready sugarbeets.
That recent court ruling has left growers with more questions than answers and Vilsack was asked for an update on the situation. The court decision indicated USDA should have completed a more complete environmental impact statement before arriving at the decision to de-regulate glyphosate-resistant sugarbeet varieties.
“We are in the process of doing that and doing it as quickly as we possibly can, although it’s a very complicated process we have to go through,” Vilsack said. “In the mean time, we had hoped to put in a transition step that would allow beets to be planted and would allow partial de-regulation of sugarbeets, based on certain conditions that would allow extra time for farmers to do what they basically needed to do, while allowing us to complete the environmental impact statements.”
However, Vilsack noted, just last week there was another lawsuit filed by those environmental groups that asked that USDA be stopped from doing these temporary steps. He said the ag department will be responding to that lawsuit soon.
Because of the several lawsuits filed recently over biotech ag practices, Vilsack said it points out the need to have a conversation in agriculture and develop a strategy in which the various forms of agriculture can co-exist.
“We’re less than one percent of the country’s population and there isn’t enough of us to be fighting each other,” he said. “We have a major effort to educate the other 99 percent as to what farmers and ranchers do for them every single day. We have to figure out a strategy in which we can co-exist.”
In addition to separation distances and other things such as that, which are already in place, Vilsack said a way of compensating those whose crops are contaminated through no fault of anyone needs to be put in place.
“That would basically remove the main argument folks have today that they have no remedy and that’s why injunctions are often issued,” he said. “We have to create another alternative and I think the USDA can be involved in the formation of such a program.
“The fact that we have the most affordable and the greatest choice of food in this country and a safe food supply and that everyone benefits because we have more discretionary income…that message needs to be conveyed more effectively by all of agriculture - whether it’s organic, biotech, family farmers or corporate farmers - I don’t care what you call it.”
Renewable fuels
The renewable fuels topic also came up several times. The bio-diesel subsidy has been allowed to expire and some want to see the same happen to ethanol, but Vilsack said it’s important to keep those subsidies in place to help support the continuing research for bio-fuels.
The Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) has also been asked to increase the ethanol blend rate to 15 percent from the current 10 percent, but that agency keeps postponing their decision. However, in the long run, Vilsack expects the blend rate to increase.
“I am optimistic about that and I think it’s something that needs to be done and should be done,” he said.
When asked if the big oil companies view the ethanol industry as a threat, Vilsack said he hopes that isn’t the case, but rather they see it as an opportunity for this country to wean itself off an over-reliance of foreign oil.
“I, for one, think this is a national security issue and an economic security issue for rural America, and I am going to do everything I can do in my power to force the powers that be, wherever they may be, to recognize the potential of this,” he said. “Doesn’t it seem like a real logical thing to do, that if you have a choice between buying oil from someone who doesn’t like you or creating a job for someone who does in your country, wouldn’t you create the job here in America?”
Next Farm Bill
In looking forward to the 2012 Farm Bill, Vilsack said it is important that the safety net be as strong and viable as it can be. He also said the industry needs to look at how it can encourage younger people to get into farming.
“The average age of the American farmer today is 57 years of age and five years ago it was 55, so we are aging at a fairly rapid rate,” he said. “So we have to look for creative ways to get those young folks in.”
In approaching the debate that will happen before the new farm bill is passed, Vilsack again stressed the importance of farmers and ranchers forming a united front and pushing aside some of the small issues that have many times divided them in the past.
“We represent less than one percent of the population, and we’ve got to convince the other 99 percent of the population that what we do matters to their life,” he said. “A farm bill isn’t just about farmers and ranchers, it’s about every consumer in this country.”
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