Washington-America’s farmers and ranchers are helping to lead the country’s economic recovery, as shown in the USDA farm income report issued last week, Agriculture Secretary Tom Vilsack declared. “All three measures of farm sector earnings have experienced a rapid rebound in 2010, and other indicators such as farm asset values ?Çô point to a sustainable recovery,” Vilsack reported. According to the numbers, farmers are earning 31 percent more for their products than they made last year. At the same time, the report shows, it’s making a real difference for America’s farm families, as indicated in predictions for household income rising 7.8 percent in 2010 from 2009. “That’s good economic news for rural America as our national economy continues to gain strength,” Vilsack asserted. “A combination of factors has made these numbers possible, including the successful implementation of the 2008 Farm Bill, the Obama Administration’s Recovery Act, and increased exports in the agricultural sector which was already one of the only major sectors of the economy with a trade surplus.” Vilsack also praised the dedication of U.S. farmers and ranchers as second to none, saying, “They have worked hard to keep their debt low and to capitalize on a broader economic recovery. And their willingness to adapt, innovate, and embrace new research and technologies has ensured their success for decades and ensures they will remain resilient in the years to come.”
Transparency Across the Fertilizer Value-Chain