AFBF, Vilsack Share Many Of The Same Priorities

Just a head of this week’s confirmation hearing, American Farm Bureau President Zippy Duvall spoke with Ag Secretary designate Tom Vilsack about a variety of issues. Some of the top priorities included the freezing of the COVID-19 relief package for farmers.

“He said the review of the COVID relief would not take long at all. We also talked about the labor issue that we faced on-farm for decades now needs reformed. He agreed that it is time to get that done. You can’t talk about this new administration without talking about their approach on climate. So, I expressed to him that we had done a lot of work in the last two years to talk about voluntary and market-based climate policies."

Duvall noted it’s also important that the government work with farmers to ensure they are part of any climate change conversation moving forward. He added the two of them also discussed the importance of having enough funding for the Commodity Credit Corporation. Duvall added it’s important that Farm Bureau and the administration work together to advance the priorities of agriculture.

“To accomplish anything, you got to work together. Mr. Vilsack’s been there before, we already have a working relationship with him, and he’s going to pick up the reins at USDA and hit the ground running. And we look forward to helping him solve a lot of the big issues that are facing agriculture.”

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