January 12, 2015
Mr. Stallman: Well, good morning, everybody, and thank you, Dean. I think we can all be very proud of the work of the Foundation. Okay, folks. I'm going to go a little off script right now, and he does not know we're going to do this, but, Mr. Secretary, would you join me on stage, please.
(Mr. Secretary walks up and onto the stage.)
Mr. Norton: Don't worry. It's okay.
(Mr. Secretary removes his tie.)
(Laughter.)
Secretary Vilsack: I'm good. Got my tie off.
Mr. Stallman: My fault. We have been very pleased that the Secretary has taken a lot of time to be with us for our convention, and I hope those of you that saw the town hall meeting yesterday enjoyed that and found it very informative. I know he and I both enjoyed getting up there and doing that.
Mr. Secretary, you know, I have some cattle in Texas, not as many as a lot of Texans, I might add, but I've always been intrigued by a cultural concept that we have in Texas. And back in the days of the ranches and big outfits, you know, the foreman and the cowboys were supposed to be loyal to the outfit. They were supposed to ride for the brand. And, ladies and gentlemen, I want to tell you that I've had the great honor of working with Secretary Vilsack since he was confirmed in 2009, and we had lots of discussions, worked on lots of issues. And I know one thing is a fact and that Secretary Vilsack rides for the brand of US Agriculture. So I wanted to take this opportunity this morning to recognize him for doing that, and I would like to present him with a plaque that says "Thank you for riding for the brand for US Agriculture in rural America. Presented to Secretary of Agriculture Tom Vilsack, January 12, 2015, at the 96th American Farm Bureau Federation Annual Convention."
But that's not all, as they say on some of the shows on TV, Mr. Secretary -- one moment -- because a plaque is a plaque, but you need something a little more substantive here when we're talking about riding for the brand.
So if you're going to ride for the brand, you gotta have a brand. And here's the brand. If we can get a closeup shot of that, it's "US AG."
Mr. Secretary, thank you for riding for the brand for US Ag.
(Applause.)
Secretary Vilsack: Thank you very much. Thank you. Well, I'm really, really touched by this. You know, there's a sign that says, "Vilsack will speak roughly 5 to 10 minutes." It's right above the "Stallman ad libs." That's right. And obviously, I've got remarks prepared, but let me put them in my pocket, and let me speak from the heart. This means a lot to me. It means a lot to me because of the people in this room and the people you represent who are out on ranches and farms and in orchards today doing the hard work of preparing the food that we so casually enjoy without expressing the level of appreciation and acknowledgment of how significant American agriculture is to the lives of Americans and to the lives of people all over the world.
You're the best at what you do. There's nobody in the world that does it any better. And you have a partnership, and I will tell you that I have really appreciated my partnership, which has grown, I believe, into a friendship with Bob Stallman and with your Farm Bureau leadership. You folks have done everything and more to promote agriculture: The Farmers and Ranchers Alliance, the video that you just saw about the outreach, "My American Farm." It's just great work. The advocacy for producers in encouraging Congress to pass a solid Farm Bill. We wouldn't have gotten that Farm Bill without the Farm Bureau's involvement. The enormous work that you're doing now and have done on trade to explain to Americans that trade is a net positive for America and it makes us a stronger economic country, but it certainly makes a stronger and better world when people trade.
At USDA, we are committed, and we have people who work every single day not just because it's a job or a paycheck but because they understand the people they're working for. They proudly come to our Department every single day in thousands of offices across the United States, and they work because they love their work. They love the people they're working for. It's one of the reasons why folks have expressed surprised at the Farm Bill implementation. Nobody expected over 500,000 checks to be sent out to livestock producers who suffered terribly during 2011, '12, and '13 when there were no disaster programs.
People marvel at the fact we now have a good solid sign-up for our Dairy Margin Protection Program because we worked overtime and extended the deadline and worked during the holidays to make sure that folks had access to that safety net program. Now people are excited and interested about the new technology changes that are taking place. Some of our technology people literally worked right up through the Christmas holiday and the weekends and at night and around the clock to get new technologies implemented so that hopefully the ARC and PLC sign-ups go smoothly over the course of the next several months. And they work every day to reduce barriers that exist in trade.
The Farm Bureau stepped up when we said there needed to be more involvement and engagement and more investment in rural America. For the good, hard-working people who not only feed us, but also send their kids to the military in disproportionate numbers and understand the value of hard work and discipline and believe in this country and its future, there need to be opportunities in those rural areas for businesses to grow, for new manufacturing facilities to be located, for us to figure out creative ways to use agriculture products, not only to feed and fuel but to provide a whole new American economy. Farm Bureau stepped up, rewards and acknowledges entrepreneurship with renewed challenge. It's a great organization, and we value the partnership that we have with this organization.
You know, I've been very, very fortunate. Starting out life in an orphanage. Raised by parents who loved me. But I had a little trouble, struggle, separated for a while. I don't think I ever dreamt that I'd have the opportunities that I have had in my life. When I moved to a small town in southeast Iowa and started practicing law, I began my love affair with American agriculture. I began to represent farmers. I began to hear their hopes and dreams, their aspirations, their love of the land, their concern for their family, the real desire to ensure that what had happened in generations before would continue for generations on the same land and the same people owning it.
And then I got this enormous opportunity. And to have an organization like Farm Bureau, to have a leader like Bob Stallman, to have all of you spend a few minutes of your convention to recognize the good work of USDA and my small part in it just means a tremendous amount. I have had opportunities to display things in my office. I had, until today, one acknowledgment that I always valued and will always value. It's a Patriot Award, and it was given to me by the National Guard when I left the governorship of Iowa. It's the highest civilian award that can be given by the National Guard. I place it in a place of honor. I place it in a place that I can see it every day when I'm in the office to remind me of those brave men and women who served in the National Guard, who have served and will serve, and what an extraordinary organization it is.
This brand will go right next to that Patriot Award, and it will be in my office for as long as I
live.
(Applause.)
You know, I had planned on having a little fun with Bob at the end of my formal remarks. I was going to bring out an envelope that had my Farm Bureau dues check.
(Laughter.)
You know, the Farm Bureau, and particularly the Iowa Farm Bureau, of which I'm a member, a proud member, we like that Navigate Award. We're thinking we ought to have that every year.
But they're a really good organization because as I was leaving to get on the plane to come out here, the mail arrived, and my dues statement was in the mail. So I thought you all would appreciate it if I saved the cost of a stamp by simply handing the check.
(Mr. Secretary hands envelope to Mr. Stallman.)
Mr. Stallman: Thank you, Mr. Secretary. We'll be sure this gets to the right person in Iowa.
Secretary Vilsack: (Pointing and taking branding iron) I'll take it from there. That's nice. I like this.
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