Tom Vilsack
Tom Vilsack
Thomas James "Tom" Vilsackis an American politician who has served as the United States Secretary of Agriculture since 2009. A member of the Iowa Democratic Party, Vilsack served as the 40th Governor of Iowa from 1999 to 2007...
NationalityAmerican
ProfessionPolitician
Date of Birth13 December 1950
CityPittsburgh, PA
CountryUnited States of America
average years poverty
Although they are some of the hardest working folks I know, rural Americans earn, on average, $11,000 less than their urban counterparts each year. And they are more likely to live in poverty.
mother kids years
Food during my early years was a very difficult issue for me. I grew up in an addictive family. My mother had serious problems with alcohol and prescription drugs. I was an overweight kid. I can remember back in those days there weren't the strategies that there are today to deal with those issues.
years records saws
In 2011, agricultural exports hit a record high and producers saw their best incomes in nearly 40 years.
keys years office
In his first year in office, President Obama pulled us back from the brink of the greatest economic crisis since the Great Depression and worked to lay a new foundation for economic growth. The president identified three key strategies to build that lasting prosperity: innovation, investment, and education.
past years two
Over the past two years, the Obama Administration and USDA have worked to build a foundation for sustainable economic growth in rural America. At the center of our vision is an effort to increase domestic production and use of renewable energy.
appreciation expression years
I wish I could give you all the examples over the last two years as secretary of agriculture, where I hear people in rural America constantly being criticized, without any expression of appreciation for what they do do.
years agriculture income
This is an exciting time for farmers and ranchers of all types and sizes as agriculture is a bright spot in the American economy. In 2011, agricultural exports hit a record high and producers saw their best incomes in nearly 40 years.
past years united-states
In the past 40 years, the United States lost more than a million farmers and ranchers. Many of our farmers are aging. Today, only nine percent of family farm income comes from farming, and more and more of our farmers are looking elsewhere for their primary source of income.
bit earthquake faces people screaming
It was a little bit more frightening than the earthquake I was in, ... You could see the faces of people screaming at you.
city competition economic engaged global state
The state and this city are engaged in a global competition for economic opportunity,
count happened identified industries prison section
Essentially, what happened was a count was not made in the prison industries section of the prison that would have identified immediately that individuals were missing,
benefits buy direct dollar economic generates grocery package people snap stimulus stock terms tough
Every dollar of SNAP benefits generates $1.84 in the economy in terms of economic activity. If people are able to buy a little more in the grocery store, someone has to stock it, package it, shelve it, process it, ship it. All of those are jobs. It's the most direct stimulus you can get in the economy during these tough times.
build department hard innovators power president unleash
At President Obama's direction, the U.S Department of Agriculture is working hard to unleash the power of America's innovators and entrepreneurs to build a green energy economy.
answer white
I wasn't in the White House, so I can't answer that question.