Dear Foodies,
America is boiling right now and the nation’s farmers are bearing the brunt.
Faced
with the worst drought in 50 years, crop yields are down, grain prices
are at record levels, and livestock producers are being forced to sell
off entire herds. The U.S. Department of Agriculture (USDA) has declared
the largest federal disaster area in history, spanning over 29 states
and 1,300 counties.
Scientists are unequivocal about the links between climate change and increased droughts. But U.S. Secretary of Agriculture Tom Vilsack seems afraid to even discuss the topic.
At
a press conference last Wednesday, a reporter asked Vilsack about the
relationship between the drought and climate change. Vilsack responded:
“I’m not a scientist so I’m not going to opine as to the cause of this.”
When
pressed further, Vilsack punted again, saying: “Our focus, to be honest
with you, in a situation like this is on the near term and the
immediate…”
This
makes no sense. Of course it's essential that the USDA help farmers in
need right now. But the agency’s leaders must also speak clearly and
consistently to farmers and the American public about how climate change
is impacting our entire farming sector.
This is not the last time that Secretary Vilsack will be discussing
the current drought, which is expected to last all summer. We need to
make sure that next time he doesn't dodge climate questions. Join
us and our friends at Forecast the Facts, which works to ensure
Americans receive accurate information about climate change, to send a
strong message to Secretary Vilsack that supporting America's farmers
requires him to tell the full story about climate change and extreme
weather.
After
the Wednesday press conference, Vilsack continued to dodge the issue.
On Thursday, he refused to answer a direct question about climate change
in a Marketplace radio interview: "I’m not an expert on
climate change so it probably wouldn’t be appropriate for me to respond
specifically to that question."
Vilsack claims he’s not a scientist, and therefore can’t speak on the
subject. But hundreds of scientists work for the USDA, and a core
mission of the Department is to use scientific data to help farmers. In fact, the USDA has an entire Climate Change Program Office.
In
1989, scientists delivered a report to Congress entitled "The Potential
Effects of Global Climate Change on the United States," which had an
entire chapter discussing how global warming pollution would cause
droughts in the Great Plains even worse than the Dust Bowl era, with a
decline in crop yields of up to 90 percent. Twenty years later, during
Secretary Vilsack's tenure, the USDA contributed to a government-wide
report, "Global Climate Change Impacts on the United States," which
concludes that “Global warming is unequivocal and primarily
human-induced.” The study goes on to warn that current water shortages
in the Great Plains would only get worse, “this time largely due to
human-induced climate change.”
It’s
simply not credible for Secretary Vilsack to suggest he’s unaware of
the vast body of scientific evidence linking droughts to climate change.
By publicly acknowledging that link now, Vilsack can help American farmers manage the long-term challenges headed their way.
Congress
created the USDA “to acquire and to diffuse among the people of the
United States useful information on subjects connected with
agriculture.” It is well established that greenhouse gas pollution
is making droughts, storms, floods and other threats to agriculture
more frequent and extreme. Farmers, perhaps more than any other
Americans, will have to contend with these harsh realities. They also
have an opportunity to fight climate change with low-carbon farming and
sustainable biofuels.
We can protect the future of American farming, but only if we rely on well-established science. Secretary Vilsack should lead the way by talking about the facts of man-made climate change before disaster strikes again.
Thanks for participating in food democracy,
Dave, Lisa and the Food Democracy Now! team
Dave, Lisa and the Food Democracy Now! team
MORE INFORMATION
Transcript of Vilsack press conference, 07-18-2012
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Vilsack refuses to answer question about climate change, Marketplace, 7-19-2012
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Drought spreads, boosts corn to record price, Reuters, 7-19-2012
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Livestock Liquidiation: Extreme Drought Forces Farmers to Sell Herds, Huffington Post, 07-17-2012
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The Potential Effects of Global Climate Change on United States: Great Plains. Rosenzweig, Reibsame. (1989)
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Global Climate Change Impacts in the US: Great Plains. (2009)
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UCAR: Climate Change May Threaten Much of Globe Within Decades, 07-03-2012
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