Agriculture Secretary Tom Vilsack today made the following statement on the passing of Senator George McGovern:
"Simply put, Senator George McGovern spent his life standing up for others. He honorably defended our nation during a time of war. He was a tremendous advocate for his home state of South Dakota and for all of rural America. He championed our efforts as a nation to help hungry people, especially children, around the world, leading the way on U.S. food assistance efforts that carry on today under his name and that of his friend, former Senator Bob Dole. As we honor Senator McGovern's life, I know that his legacy will impact millions of people in the years to come – from the smallest South Dakota towns that he knew and loved, to countries in every corner of the globe."
To watch former U.S. Senator George McGovern speak in a 1999 interview about what inspired him to work to end childhood hunger in America, please watch this video from the USDA archives.
And for more on the legacy of George McGovern and the McGovern-Dole International Food for Education and Child Nutrition Program, please visit the Foreign Agricultural Service's tribute page.
