“88% of Farm Families Need Additional Income,” says U.S. Secretary of Agriculture Tom Vilsack
U.S. Secretary of Agriculture Tom Vilsack emphasized that the future of small and medium-sized dairy farms depends on adopting innovative approaches, creating additional income streams, and suggested new ideas. This report comes from a DairyNews.today correspondent at the World Dairy Expo in Madison, Wisconsin.
In his speech, Vilsack noted that small and medium-sized farmers face significant financial challenges, as large commercial farms account for 85% of income, while 1.7 million small farms share the remaining 15%. As a result, 88% of farm families need additional income.
The Secretary proposed new ideas such as selling renewable energy, carbon credits, and processing agricultural waste into valuable products. An example includes using wood chips for 3D-printing houses, which allows for affordable housing at $70,000 per home.
The Secretary proposed new ideas such as selling renewable energy, carbon credits, and processing agricultural waste into valuable products. An example includes using wood chips for 3D-printing houses, which allows for affordable housing at $70,000 per home.
Vilsack stressed the need to develop local and regional food systems that provide farmers with a greater share of the food dollar—50-75%, compared to the current 20%. He also announced plans to invest $20-25 billion over the next three to five years in this initiative, which he believes will open up new opportunities for farmers, allowing them to become more entrepreneurial instead of only having to “grow or go out of business.”
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