On the recordMay 15, 2012
I am here today to commemorate the United States Department of Agriculture on its 150th anniversary. Our country has changed dramatically since 1862, when President Abraham Lincoln signed a bill into law creating the Department of Agriculture. Despite all the changes we have seen in the last century and a half, the USDA remains true to its original mission as ``The People's Department,'' administering critical programs that touch the lives of all Americans. So as we celebrate this important milestone for the USDA, I think we should also take a moment to recognize the men and women who are putting its programs to use--the farmers and agriculture leaders who grow our crops, produce our food and power our homegrown energy supply. Sometimes, people forget that food doesn't just magically appear on grocery store shelves. But the truth is that behind every aisle-- whether it's dairy or produce--there is farmer or a rancher who has made it their livelihood to produce nutritious, abundant food. In Minnesota, our economic strength is anchored in the soil of our land and the sweat of our farmers. Agriculture is our State's leading export, accounting for $75 billion in economic activity every year and supporting more than 300,000 jobs. And while we are 21st in the country for population, we are the sixth largest agricultural producer.…
