Vilsack Looks Back on Time At USDA

Ag Secretary Tom Vilsack spoke to farm broadcasters at the National Association of Farm Broadcasting Convention in Kansas City last week, and looked back on his eight years in the office.  He said a recent conversation with President Obama made him think about whether or not he was leaving the office in better condition than when he took the job eight years ago.  Vilsack says after thinking about the topic for some time, he feels USDA is in better shape.

Vilsack said a historic number of farm loans have been issued over the past eight years.

"Our Farm Service Agency folks have been incredible.  They’ve done almost 280,000 loans, lending out over $40 billion.  They’ve expanded opportunities to undeserved producers, they established the new microloan program, over 22,000 of those loans have been made, and they’ve as well expanded the farm storage program.”

Vilsack added the FSA did this while staffs were reduced.  Vilsack also noted the FSA has introduced and implemented new technologies, which helps streamline interactions between growers and producers and the agency.

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