USDA Secretary Vilsack Visits with Tennessee Ag Leaders

Agriculture Commissioner Julius Johnson and industry leaders met with U.S. Secretary of Agriculture Tom Vilsack Monday to discuss the impact of recent storms and flooding on farmers. Vilsack was in Nashville for a live national broadcast from RFD-TV to discuss the importance of producing renewable energy and reducing America’s dependence on imported oil. During the meeting held at Ellington Agricultural Center, Vilsack saw images of tornado damages in East Tennessee and heard firsthand from farmers directly impacted by flooding in West Tennessee. Vilsack said USDA would do all that it could do to help Tennessee farmers recover from last month’s devastating weather.

Also meeting with Vilsack were Rural Development state director Bobby Goode, NRCS state director Kevin Brown, Deputy Commissioner Terry Oliver, Farm Bureau president Lacy Upchurch, Dyer County farmers Jimmy Moody and Eddie Anderson, Tennessee Farmers Cooperative CEO Bart Krisle and newly appointed Deputy Commissioner Jai Templeton.