Tom Vilsack

I think there is obviously--given the current state of the ag economy, I think there is the need for a conversation about how many acres in CRP is appropriate.

Secretary Vilsack has announced he is going to dust off the proposed GIPSA marketing rule that resulted from language included in the 2008 Farm Bill.

We are now stymied by an embargo that has certainly outlived its purpose.

We will be more than happy to work with you and have our rural development people work with those two counties in those two areas.

the Promise Zone would extend that kind of approach to all Federal agencies.

I would say that I suspect that some of these rules may very well be finalized and some of these rules may be proposed, given the nature of the concerns that were expressed in the past.

Candidly, I am at the point now where folks have raised concerns about trails and a variety of other facets of the Forest Service that we are not going to do what we have done in the past, which is transfer money for fire suppression.

It is going to be important for us, particularly in rural areas, for our first responders to have access to the overdose reversal drugs.

This is a budget, Mr. Chairman, that also will allow for an expansion of local and regional food systems in the bio-based economy.

I appreciate the comment, Senator, and I will take that back to the team.

Secretary, I believe your Department can help, but it is going to take some really, really hard work.

StrikeForce was designed to focus on the areas of persistent poverty in this country.

I had to give out seven American flags to family members who lost loved ones in forest fires.

Help us fix the fire budget, and that situation in rural Oregon will change.

I am confident, because I think we have addressed both short-term and long-term, traditional and nontraditional, challenges that agriculture is going to face.

the embargo statute basically prohibits the Department of Agriculture from using any of its market assistance programming money, so we cannot directly help promote, as we do in other countries.

That is one of the reasons why we need to get rid of the embargo.

This is one area that has frustrated me more than any since I have been Secretary, because everybody--everybody--knows this is a problem.

Budgets are oftentimes a lot about numbers. But behind each of these numbers, there are individuals and people that we care deeply about.

It is a complicated problem. It is one that requires a series of steps.

I think we have to have, frankly, reasonable expectations on the part of patients.

Hopefully, this is the year that Congress get serious about fire suppression.

Actually, Wisconsin has a number of communities like Green Bay that are working with the Fox River that are trying to create ecosystem markets.

I am trying to avoid a chaotic circumstance, Senator. I am certainly hopeful that there are at least 60 of you who feel the same way I do.

I am here to say unequivocally they are safe to consumers.