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American Farmland Trust President Jon Scholl says the U.S. will increasingly depend on our agricultural lands to help solve critical environmental concerns.

Today's commentary is about predictions. To start, I have some predictions from other former Cabinet Members. For more than 20 years, I have put together a "Cabinet Secretaries Luncheon" during the Christmas holidays

Sports fans in the DC area have become all too accustomed to defeatist attitudes with respect to local coverage of our professional sports franchises. Now we must all deal with similar dooms day reports about our nation's fiscal and economic future.

For America’s farmers and ranchers “the biggest game in town” during 2011 may be one that many of them have not yet even heard about! The Trans Pacific Partnership (TPP) trade negotiations.

This year, more than seven billion people will inhabit the earth. Within forty years, that number will grow to nine billion. This dramatic increase in the world’s population will present extraordinary challenges to every country.

Our Nation has been going through an extremely difficult economic period and many challenges lay ahead. Yet going forward, agriculture stands in a prime position to help lead the country to future growth.

The Federal Reserve Bank of Kansas City published a paper, “A Rural Rebound in 2010,” which opened: “In 2010, rural America was at the forefront of the economic recovery.”

The next farm bill will have to confront some very difficult issues including the size of the deficit, direct payments and even whether food stamps should be limited, in some way, to only nutritious foods.

How much do we value conservation on working agricultural lands? That’s a question we all need to keep in mind as we approach the 2012 farm bill.