We opened up crp land, and changed premium payments, things of that nation that nature. It also got us thinking were there other steps, other things we should be doing, to provide help and assistance . It occurred to us perhaps we should be focused more acutely on the need to encourage multi cropping through the United States, in order for us to do a better job of conservation, to create biomass that could be a revenue source, and to potentially allow us to conserve precious water resources, which would in turn allow us to get through these drought circumstances in a more favorable circumstance. We have begun a process of looking at ways in which we could provide assistance. You will be fortunate to hear from a fellow by the name of david brant, who has a no till nutrient Management System he has put in place since the 1970s, that involves multi cropping. It saves about 100 an acre on nitrogen. It has increased its corn yield seven to 10 bushels an acre. That is something that ought to get everyones attention. At usda, we ought to be looking at ways we could reduce the man made barriers to multi cropping, so that that could be another strategy for managing risk, recognizing there are different types of multi cropping, whether it is double crops, or an integrated livestock arrangement, or for a street. Agriforestry. We will spend time better looking at Crop Insurance programs that discourage multi cropping, looking at the effect on the yield of primary crops, and the supply chain and delivery system, so we can encourage more of this activity. We will use our grant money to provide some financial assistance. We intend to develop an atlas that will provide producers a lot of information about what currently is working in multi cropping arrangements around the country. There are great examples. We will provide information on the steps to reduce those barriers that we have created within usda. And we hope that we will do a better job of improving our communication about the conservation benefits that will come from multicropping, and give us yet another tool to deal with a changing agriculture, and managing the risk of weather. As we started thinking about multicropping, it occurred to us we have a diverse agriculture in this country. There are different Production Systems that people want to use. Some folks might want to use ge technology. Some might want to go a conventional way. Some people might want to be organic reducers. It is important for us to recognize and to respect all production processes, and to make sure everybody has the opportunity to choose the type of operation that is best for their family and themselves. That is why we put together a group of folks, and we challenge them to think about how we could create a system and support in this country, were different production processes could coexist in the same geographic area, recognizing that this is a tough question, and that there are passions on all sides of this issue. We put 22 people in a room for about a year and a half. They have great leadership from russell redding. These folks worked really hard to come to a set of recommendations and conclusions. They basically modeled what we ought to be doing in this town more frequently, which is coming together and figuring out where the Common Ground is, where the moderate middle is. They came up with a series of recommendations through what we call the ac 21 committee. We are posting on our website the next steps in that process, so we can tell those 22 folks who worked hard that we are following their recommendations. Allant help producers of types that there are ways we can provide help and reduce the risks that may be associated with different production processes trying to live in the same space. You are going to engage in research and look at ways in which we can create measures to strengthen this notion of coexistence. We need to know how often there may be circumstances where crops are compromised as a result of activities in other areas. We are going to do case studies, and will better understand from those case studies exactly what the challenges and barriers are to this notion of coexistence. We hope to be able to develop best practices, to be able to provide information, so as folks are looking at coexistence plans or stewardship efforts, they will know precisely what works best. We are going to create a competitive grant. That grant will basically fund a conference that will be held this year. We will bring experts in to discuss information about gene flow, so we have a better understanding of precisely what happens, and can mitigate the risk that could be damaging to someone elses crop. We will continue to look at ways in which we can indemnify or compensate those who may have suffered an economic loss. We are going to have nas review its data to have a better idea of how to price organic crops. There is a premium associated. They are, in a sense, a different commodity. Some of the normal practices, normal surveying techniques, may not work quite as well for organics as they do for conventional agriculture. That will give us enough information to do a better job in terms of how to set up insurance policies and programs for these organic crops. And we will focus on seed quality. This spring, we will launch for the first time the National Genetic advisory council. We will be tasking that counsel with looking at how we can evaluate the availability of nonge seed for producers who might be working and producing in gesensitive markets. We will look at monitoring, maintaining the purity of publiclyheld germ classes, because there is concern about that. As will mitigate the risk associated when folks want to do things a little bit differently, in the same general space. It is part of managing risk. The longterm risk we will face, with a changing climate i will conclude with this. There is no question that the climate is changing. We recently furnished to assessments from usda on the impact of changing climates on agriculture and forestry. The conclusions were pretty obvious. Higher temperatures lead to more intense weather patterns. More intense weather patterns lead to greater stress for crops and livestock. And increase tree mortality. We at usda have a responsibility to figure out ways in which we can mitigate the risks of something we really cannot control. When it happens, we cannot control when a drought occurs. We cannot control when a horrible tornado hits, or when flooding occurs. But we can take steps to mitigate the impacts and effects of that. Here is what we have done, and here is what we are going to do. We released this year the first usda Climate Change adaptation plan, and we are outlining practical steps that can be taken right now to reduce this risk. We are expanding forecasting, so we have that her models to give people a better sense of what happens with intense weather patterns, which are a risk we need to control. We are going to win sent and increase our in soil health management, creating systems for farmers and ranchers they might be interested in. We are going to have rma work with his partners to create a web portal that will provide information on climate and weather. In turn, we will have enhanced ability to adjust losses more quickly and accurately. We have challenged the Forest Service to begin incorporating Practical Applications for mitigation and adaptation strategies for our planning and Management System work. The next steps require developing a roadmap. We want to provide practical advice to our farmers and ranchers, in ways in which they can reduce risk through the use of their property. We want to provide better support materials, so that they can create techniques and technologies that will allow them to mitigate the impact. We saw this with the drought. It is amazing. Despite the drought, we still had a relatively large corn crop, even the extent and severity of the drought last year. The reason is the technology and the techniques our farmers used. We need to better support Climate Change research. We need to make sure we have resources going into this research, so we can provide you with the information that allows you to manage this risk. We need to improve our outreach and extension, so the outreach we have, and our ability to provide help and assistance, is disseminated more widely. And we will be able to do this by organizing this effort, perhaps, around regional hubs, where we will recognize the differences of climates and the differences that climate has on various crops that are grown in different parts of the United States. Why is this important . It is obvious. Rural america as a result of most of the farming and ranching and production taking place there is the number one place for Food Production in this country. This makes us a foodsecure nation. It is the place for the water that is consumed everywhere. It is the number one place for the production of energy of whatever source, will or natural gas or renewable. It is the source of a disproportionate number of those who serve us admirably in our military. It is an important place in america. And the people who are working hard in that important place require us to do everything we can to allow them to continue to help make us a more secure and stronger nation. They will be able to deal with weatherrelated risk. They have historically. What they need is for us to act, to cooperate, to agree, to compromise, to get through the process so we are not faced with budget uncertainty, that we do have a fiveyear farm program that provides a strong safety net and encourages greater Economic Growth. That we can continue to knock down trade barriers come that we resolve the farm labor issue with a decent immigration law. That is what they deserve. We at usda will do everything we can to help make that happen. But we need you to be engaged in this process. We beat you to encourage those in congress to help us help you will want to continue to make agriculture cool. We want to be inspired by the fact that agriculture is the answer to the moral dilemma of our time, how we feed and everincreasing World Population as resources become scarce. It is agriculture in rural parts of our country and around the world that will provide the adaptation and mitigation strategies to sequester carbon and to control and mitigate the impact of Climate Change. It is agriculture and the rural parts of our country that will provide a new Energy Future for this country, and is agriculture that will spur a new American Economy that is focused again on making and innovating and growing and manufacturing and exporting. The longterm security and absolutely dependent on managing these risks we have identified today. It is that important for this country. You all can help. One man who understands this better than most is tom daschle. I can say a lot of things about tom daschle. I can talk about his military career in the air force. I can talk about his service in the house of representatives and his extraordinary leadership in the senate. The only person to serve as a majority and minority leader. I have said a lot about this man in terms of what his counterparts thought of him. I prefer to talk about tom daschle the father and grandfather. I think you can tell the measure of a man or a woman by the children. Tom has got three great kids. I had the pleasure of knowing all of them. His daughter is an Award Winning journalist. His son nathan is a social entrepreneur. His daughter lindsay, my favorite he cannot say that works at usda. She did an extraordinary job of helping to lead a first ever effort called the Rural Council when president obama established a council of all federal agencies that is involved in rural america. Lindsay basically led that effort. She left usda because she had a call to help kids in trouble. She is pursuing work in social work. Three great kids, four great grandchildren. That says a lot about tom daschle. He will share with you today his insights. I saw him the other day at a lunch in a restaurant in washington, d. C. What impressed me the most was that virtually no one entered that restaurant without stopping at his table. We are fortunate to have them here today. Ladies and gentlemen, tom daschle. [applause] thank you. It is so nice to be with all of you and be here this morning. Only at a conference can you hear four speakers by 9 a. M. Tom gave an eloquent and powerful analysis of the risks we face in agriculture, man made and natural. It is a reminder yet again of the extraordinary leadership that we have in our agriculture today. I consider him a very dear friend. An unparalleled public servant. Someone that i admire for so many reasons, but in particular because of his mentorship of that young daughter of mine, lindsay. I thank him for all he does not only for my family, but for all of us in each and every day. I also want to thank to other people for their thoughtful presentations today. Talk about dedicated servants with selfless determination. You have freedom right at this table. You have three of them are right at this table, andim honored to be part of this program. [applause] being here, im reminded of an open door meeting that i had in a rural part of south dakota. Several years ago, in small towns, we do not have choice when it comes to where we meet. It is often times in the local cafe bar. I used to hold public meetings. I know tom has done them in iowa for many years. And this particular opendoor meeting, someone interrupted me. I have a question he had been at the bar for most of the day. I could tell that by the way he started his question. Tell me, tom daschle, what is the difference between a democrat and a republican . Sir, when you are sober, i will give you an answer to that question. He said, when im sober, i do [laughter] the truth is, we should care. Agriculture is not republican or democratic. It is not partisan at all. Rather than divide us, it should unite us. As i look over this crowd, i see unity among all of you. We have a special term in dakota we just called them issues. I was very fortunate to spend 30 years on these issues in congress. Ive attempted to put rural americas agenda on the nationalsince i left the senate, im reminded of agricultural issues. Food security issues. These cannot stop it is that the prairies edge. These are national issues. They are global issues. Today farming and Food Security are beginning to receive the attention that they deserve. President obama has launched a new alliance for Food Security and nutrition with the goal of raising 50 Million People out of poverty in the next decade alone. City kids are going back to work. Farmers are having their own Online Dating service. The most talked about super bowl commercial, courtesy of the late harvey, was a heartwarming tribute to the american farmer. What is that Kenny Chesney song . She thinks my tractor is sexy . There is some truth to that. Agricultural issues are, if not sexy, increasingly important. Im glad to be here. It is appropriate that we are here today. It turns out that it was february 21, 1865 148 years ago today, that the u. S. Patent Office Issued a patent. I will not give you a pop quiz. It was labeled john deere plow. The implement sketched out could have easily been labeled one of the most important inventions in history. They called it the plow that broke the plains, and it did. By replacing cast iron with smooth innovation, it opened up swaths of land for cultivation. It made it possible for my hometown to exist. Beforehand, tilling an acre took a full 24 hours. Afterward, as little as five. Every toil ended another assumption of what the land could produce. It is not just the start of agricultural success, but of national success. This kind of Game Changing innovation has enabled us to leap ahead and increase harvest and feed the whole world. Sometimes these innovations come from the most advanced science. Other times they are simple steps and ideas that come from looking at and listening closely to the problem. All of them can break down barriers to Food Security. It can allow us to allow new paths of progress. We need those new pathways forward. Take a look at a few recent headlines. Drought and mississippi impacts everything from livestock to deer. To american beer. Food shortages could force the world into vegetarians. Patent endings raises new biotech issues. Global Crop Production shows signs of stagnant. Of stagnating. Could Climate Change be al qaedas best friend in africa . I could go on. When i think of the factors that make up the perfect storm, im reminded of what mark twain reportedly observed. Anymore. I wish twain was right. We need to do more land that we still have. Every year 7 billion of us on earth use the equivalent of a planet and a half of resources. 870 Million People worldwide every day go to bed hungry. By the year 2050, there will be feed, many in the developing world. That is not sustainable. To keep up with the rising demand, we have to increase global Food Production 70 by this century. By mid century. As assistant secretary of state Jose Fernandez says, that is producing as much food in the next 50 years as we produce in the last 1000. As we produced in the last 10,000. Think about that for a minute. Between now and the time my grandkids are old enough to attend usda conferences on their own, we will have had to grown as much food as we did as the dawn of recorded history. And we will have to do it without more land. Compounding the problem is effects of the changing climate. Anyone who works close to the land can plainly see what is up with the weather . That is a fair question. Last year was the hottest on record in the u. S. With massive summer droughts. More than half of u. S. Counties were primary National Disaster areas. We witnessed extreme flooding throughout asia and devastating droughts in the horn of africa. In it europe,deep freezes have given way