LOUISVILLE, KY – October, 30, 2014 – Surrounded by a
sea of blue jackets, Secretary of Agriculture Tom Vilsack emphasized that “the
future is bright for American Agriculture” as he addressed the 87th
National FFA Convention today. And while the youth leadership and development
organization, with over 600,000 members, represents incredible diversity in
terms of gender and geography, Vilsack called for other farm organizations to
follow suit.
“This generation of Americans has embraced diversity
in a far greater way than previous generations. There needs to be an embracing
of the notion of diversity within agriculture….the diversity of size, diversity
of production method, diversity of crop selection, and diversity of operators,”
Vilsack said during a press conference after his speech.
“When I meet with FFA leadership, about 50 percent are
young women- in this case two-thirds,” he added, while pointing to the two
female Iowa FFA members and one male FFA member who stood by his side. “But that
does not necessarily translate when I meet with boards and commissions of ag
groups. It’s mostly people who look like me.
“The future of agriculture is not being as exclusive
as that. The future of agriculture is a picture that looks more like this. So
it’s going to be important for FFA leadership …..to continue to be interested
and to a certain extent to demand a seat at the table.
Vilsack emphasized that it should not be “just a seat
so you can say that you have a woman member,” but to say this is a seat where “you
feel welcome.”
Editor’s note: USDA Deputy Secretary Krysta Harden recently hosted a White House Rural Council discussion focused on opening doors for women in agriculture. Read her blog here.
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