I wish I could give you all the examples over the last two years as secretary of agriculture, where I hear people in rural America constantly being criticized, without any expression of appreciation for what they do do.
And sometimes people don’t realize that 90 percent of the persistent poverty counties are located in rural America.
If we can get people to focus on fruits and vegetables and more healthy foods, we’ll be better in terms of our healthcare situation.
There is more potential for economic growth in rural America than at any time in decades.
The Obama administration will continue to fight for a comprehensive immigration solution that includes AgJobs and a stable workforce for our farms.
The food pyramid is very complicated. It doesn’t give you as much info in a quick glance as the plate does.
More than half of America’s rural counties are losing population and with it, political representation.
Many young and beginning farmers start out in local markets. Some stay there, and some scale up.
Local and regional food systems are about opportunity.
I think we all share the same goal, which is a United States of America that inspires people and leads.
If I had a rain prayer or a rain dance I could do, I would do it.
The lack of access to proper nutrition is not only fueling obesity, it is leading to food insecurity and hunger among our children.
There are a lot of farmers and ranchers who are struggling. I get on my knees every day. If I had a rain prayer or a rain dance I could do, I would do it.
When you’ve paid your debt to society, you need to be reconnected and re-engaged in society.
A healthy workforce is essential to grow our state and compete in the global marketplace. These actions are important to improve the health security of Iowans by making healthcare more affordable and accessible.
Now our job, our duty, our responsibility to ensure the safety and security of our citizens cannot be complete unless we guarantee health care security for our citizens.
Today, President Obama is making smart investments in clean energy – wind, solar, biofuels – as part of an all-of-the-above energy strategy that supports thousands of jobs, not in the Middle East, but in the Midwest.
To help producers serve larger institutional customers like schools and hospitals, USDA has helped fund new regional infrastructure like cold storage warehouses, commercial kitchens and local slaughter facilities.
President Obama’s fight for rural America is personal. He was raised by a single mom and grandparents from Kansas. He hails from a farming state, Illinois.
I grew up in a city. My parents would think there was something wrong with America if they knew I was secretary of agriculture.