Neil Young, a member of Farm Aid’s board of directors, had an op-ed published in The Boston Globe today (a small typo sneaked in: the second paragraph should read, “Almost 150 years later” instead of “More than 200 years later”):
WHEN Abraham Lincoln formed the US Department of Agriculture in 1862 he referred to it as the “People’s Department” because it served the common interest of so many Americans. America’s concerns about food and the economy were addressed and investments in cutting-edge research guaranteed the nation’s food security.
More than 200 years later, we are in the midst of a historic financial crisis and part of the solution lies with the “People’s Department.” It’s time for our newest federal leaders to recognize the unmatched ability of family farmers to strengthen local economies. We can all learn from the ingenuity and innovation that family farmers demonstrate time and time again in the face of challenge.
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