Release No. 0147.98
                                                                 
Remarks
                               OF 
                     SECRETARY DAN GLICKMAN
                  68th NATIONAL 4H CONFERENCE
             JEFFERSON AUDITORIUM -- APRIL 1, 1998

     Thank you, Dr. Hefferan. I also want to thank the  head clover,' Dr.
Alma Hobbs for her continued leadership of 4-H.  

     Good morning 4H'ers. Welcome to the Department of Agriculture. Thank
you for traveling here from all over the country to represent your states
and counties. 

     I'm from Kansas. How many of you are from Kansas? I'm sure you all
know where my boss, President Clinton, is from. How many razorbacks are
here? I also happen to be pretty close to a famous 4H'er from Tennessee,
Vice President Al Gore.  He actually coined the phrase,  information super
highway,' so I'm sure he'd be impressed with your 4-H website and its
ability to connect members around the country.

     Your website and this conference present opportunities for all of you
to network with one another, across geographic boundaries, and unite for
meaningful action. That's why you're here in our nation's capital -- to talk
about the future of your country, to identify the challenges ahead and to
find ways to harness the potential of this great organization and of
America's youth. 

     Last year, at the Presidents' Summit on America's Future, 4-H made a
pledge that they would help lead America into a brighter future by
challenging America's youth to expand community service participation by
300,000 volunteers. Today you are well on your way to meeting that
challenge. I am here to say thank you, and to challenge you to do more
because I know you can. Volunteerism is not new to 4H whose base includes
650,000 adult and youth volunteers.

     Those of you who were here last year, probably know that I've made a
personal commitment to fighting hunger in this country. Fighting hunger is
something government cannot do alone. I asked you for your help, and, across
the country, you responded in a big way. You jumped in with food drives and
food recovery efforts. Out in Illinois, the 4H'ers ran a food recovery
effort at the state fair called  4H CAN Make a Difference.' They mobilized
225,000 volunteers who in turn mobilized the big food companies to donate
food. They built a little house with a door, windows, picket fence and
flowers to serve as the food collection booth at the fair. I visited the
House of Food and I was very impressed. In less than two months, the
Illinois chapters raised 5 tons of food....and they've turned  4H CAN Make a
Difference' into a permanent campaign.


     I'd like to see more success stories like this from every 4H chapter
in the country  -- through school lunch programs, at sporting events,
concerts and in your communities.  I'd like to see you take advantage of
grants available through National 4H to help promote local anti-hunger
programs. 

     In coming together this week to network for action, you've set your
goals high. You're here not just to talk about your future, but to try and
shape what it's going to look like. People often tell you, you might grow up
to be leaders. Well you are already leading today, and I'm proud of every
one of you here today.  Like those who came before you, you will work for
change that will improve the world. That is the foundation from which 4H
springs.

     As you embark on new efforts to improve your country, you've come to
the right place here at USDA. Production agriculture, of course, is at the
heart of what we do here at USDA. We work closely with America's farmers and
ranchers who feed our nation and a good part of the world. We want to be
sure they can make a good living at what they do, so younger generations see
a future for themselves on the land. In the next century, world population
is expected to grow by the rate of a New York City every month. Future
generations of farmers must be up to the challenge of feeding all those
people, and USDA will be there to help.

     But that's not all we do. In so many different ways, USDA's work
touches people's lives more than any other department in government. We run
America's largest conservation effort, and the forest service. That's right,
Smokey Bear works for me. We are America's anti-hunger department. We help
make sure if a parent loses his or her job, the family can still put food on
the table through out food stamp program; we also make sure that all of you
who are still in high school get healthy school meals. We work to make sure
that the food you eat is safe. And we do research on everything from how to
increase yields using less water and less pesticides to a recently developed
spray for baby chickens that has proven 99.9% effective in eliminating
salmonella in poultry on the farm. 

     As I look out at this audience, it makes me feel good to see so many
young people together being a force for positive change, taking charge of
their future, making our nation stronger, and finding a positive path in
life.  

     Too often we hear stories of youth violence like the recent tragedy in
Arkansas. Senseless acts like these can be prevented. We don't pretend to
have all the answers, but one thing we can all agree on is that we need more
community involvement.  We need to reach more kids and get them involved in
something they care about, using their energy in positive ways. You can
fight hunger, help the homeless, assist the elderly. You can work in
government or out on the land.  Last year 15,000 kids worked with  Earth
Team Volunteers' contributing to our conservation effort to help protect
America's farm lands for future generations. Through the community spirit
that comes with volunteerism, we can help more kids find a positive path in
life.
  
     I'd also like to talk to you today about kicking butt! Tomorrow is the
third annual Kick Butts Day. Kids will be out all across the country vowing
that they will stay smoke-free, and encouraging others kids to do the same.
I should also point out that these kids have strong allies in many of our
tobacco farmers who have joined them in speaking out against under-age
smoking. No matter how we feel about cigarettes and tobacco, I hope we can
all agree that kids shouldn't be smoking. 

     So we have plenty of issues from which to choose from, but the point
is that we choose and take a stand and be active members of our community.
In the words of President Clinton,  Citizen service reflects one of the most
basic convictions of our democracy: That we are all responsible for one
another.' I recently heard that sentiment from a 4H'er out in the Midwest.
After helping build a house for the homeless, he said,  You can't get too
many people involved in making the world a better place.'

     I couldn't agree more. I want to thank all of you for your commitment
to making the world a better place. There's really no secret to
accomplishing that goal. It starts with each of you saying  seven simple
words:  I am going to make a difference.' Thank you all for making that
pledge. America needs not just your participation, but your leadership. And,
I guess the only question I have left for all of you is,  Are you into it?'  


Thank you.  

                                 

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