Max Baucus: “in 1787, Thomas Jefferson wrote a letter to George Washington in which he wrote ``Agriculture is our wisest pursuit…”

“in 1787, Thomas Jefferson wrote a letter to George Washington in which he wrote ``Agriculture is our wisest pursuit, because it will in the end contribute most to real wealth, good morals, and happiness.'' Those words remain true for our farmers and ranchers today but they also ring true to for veterans who are returning from service and returning to the land. Our veteran unemployment rate is shameful, and it really hits home in rural States like Montana where so many folks volunteer for service. I believe we must think outside the box and look for ways to boost jobs for our veterans in everything we do. Which has me turning to the Farm bill. Today I, with my colleague Senator Johanns, have introduced the Agricultural Opportunities for Military Veterans Act which will help create new opportunities for our veteran populations hoping to become involved in farming and ranching. With over 45 percent of those who serve in the military coming from rural communities Congress must ensure our returning servicemembers have a variety of resources at their disposal. My bill will help boost veteran employment through the Farm bill. It would create a veteran preference in programs that make it cheaper and easier to institute best practices in farming and ranching. The bill also creates a new Military Liaison Office to assist veterans at the U.S. Department of Agriculture and expands outreach programs to help make sure veterans are aware of the resources available to them.…”