U.S. Secretary of Agriculture Tom Vilsack spoke to students at Kansas State about the importance of agriculture in the United States, reports Drovers Cattle Network.
Vilsack was on-hand as part of the school's famous "Landon Lecture" series, where luminaries from all walks of life talk to students. Kansas State is notable for having one of the few agricultural programs in higher education in the United States, and many of the attendees for the lecture were students in that program.
Vilsack began by pointing to a recent article that declared agriculture a "useless" major for college students and stressed that he disagreed. The Secretary of Agriculture pointed to recent technological advancements in the field that ensure the U.S. will have food even in a major catastrophe. Vilsack said that because of new agricultural technology, the U.S. could theoretically become involved in a major war and close all of its ports and still have enough food to feed all of its citizens. The Secretary added that 85 percent of the food consumed in the U.S. is grown here, something that not many other countries can claim.
"People with degrees in agriculture have made our country food secure," Vilsack told students. "Don't take that for granted."
Just as technology has helped the country's food industry grow, farmers need to rely on technology like sprayers and combine harvesters to keep their crops healthy. The online auction site IronPlanet is a great way for farmers to quickly find and purchase used agricultural equipment, often at a more affordable price than buying new. What's more, the site's IronClad Assurance ensures that buyers can view full inspection reports before they bid.
