climate change

Yesterday it was my privilege to address those attending the Biomass 2010 Conference, sponsored by the U.S. Department of Energy.  The Obama Administration is committed to fighting the effects of climate change while supporting farmers and ranchers, and promoting sustainable economic growth. My speech centered on opportunities available to farmers and ranchers as a result of biofuel production.

Agriculture plays a significant role in the ongoing climate change talks here in Copenhagen. During a day-long meeting at the University here, “Agriculture and Rural Development Day”, Secretary Vilsack met with academics, scientists and other world leaders to plan ways to incorporate agriculture into the post-Copenhagen climate agenda.

Yesterday the U.S. Forest Service hosted a side-event at the United Nations Copenhagen Climate Change Conference with some very special stakeholders unable to make the trip. A video-conference discussing climate change was held between DC-area students at Forest Service headquarters and students in Copenhagen, Denmark.

It’s apparent as you speak to the Danes here in Copenhagen that this city, and all of Denmark has a lot on the line when it comes to the issue of climate change.  No part of this country is far from the sea, and climate change and a rising sea level combined could alter living conditions substantially in the not-too-distant future.  There is also a large agricultural sector here and much of the farm industry is based on the cooperative model, so climate change poses a significant local economic concern.

Today we are formally launching a new enterprise in USDA science, a National Institute of Food and Agriculture (NIFA).  NIFA will be a real agent of transformation in how we do science at USDA, not just in this new agency, but across the board.  As I reflect on this pivotal moment for USDA science, I am reminded of another transformative episode in USDA history:  the Morrill Act of 1862 that created the land-grant university system that has been the scaffold for building the research enterprise we have today.

Last Friday, USDA employees offered a “Healthy Garden" Workshop to teach area residents and visitors about ways to improve soil health in their gardens. The Workshop series will continue every Friday from noon to 12:30 p.m. through September 25, focusing on a different practical gardening skill each week. The events are held outside USDA headquarters at the ‘People’s Garden’ at the corner of 12th and Jefferson Drive SW, across from the National Mall.

Welcome to the United States Department of Agriculture’s new blog, a place where visitors can get the latest news on the work we are doing. Whether we are providing nutrition assistance, maintaining an appropriate safety net for America’s farmers and ranchers, mitigating effects of climate change, conserving our land, managing our forests, or assisting in the creation of renewable energy sources, USDA is an Every Day, Every Way department that touches the lives of every American, every day. So, we have a lot to report.