Washington, D.C. – Congressman Sanford D. Bishop, Jr. (GA-02) released the following statement today in recognition of the 150th anniversary of the United States Department of Agriculture:
“Today, I join Agriculture Secretary Tom Vilsack in commemorating the 150th anniversary of the U.S. Department of Agriculture and its work on behalf of the agriculture industry, rural America and people across the nation and the world who benefit from the work of the agency.
“With more than 10 million acres of farmland in Georgia alone, agriculture continues to be a vitally important sector of our economy and our nation as it was when the Department was created in 1862. Nationally, 1 in 12 jobs is linked to agriculture and forestry and American consumers have access to an abundant, diverse food supply while on average spending less than 10 percent of their disposable income on food.
“In order to further increase the quality and quantity of our nation’s food supply, the value of agriculture, science and innovation cannot be underestimated. We will rely on the work of producers across the country supported by USDA and our land grant colleges to meet the challenges of the future through agriculture research, biotechnology, and innovation. As we celebrate the partnership USDA has built with farmers and rural Americans, I commend the Department’s ongoing commitment to rebuilding and revitalizing our nation's future.”
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