You can tell Vilsack exactly what you  think about his vision for forests
at this meeting.  Phyllis

I would like to take this opportunity to inform and invite you, your
staff and members to the Rural Tour, a Community Forum at the Iowa State
Fair grounds on August 19, 2009.
United States Secretary of Agriculture Tom Vilsack will be at the Iowa
State Fair to seek input, hear ideas, and answers questions from 9:30 am
- 11:00 am on August 19, 2009.
Please see the attached Rural Tour Announcement for additional details.
[I've pasted it below John's message.]

I look forward to seeing you at this event and working with your
organization in the future.
Please feel free to contact our office at 515-254-1540 Ext. 480 if you
have any questions or need additional information.  Please pass this
information on to any interested parties.

John R. Whitaker
State Executive Director
USDA Farm Service Agency



Wally, you are right.  He said the nation gets a high percentage of its
drinking water from forests and agricultural land.  I would not call
forests agricultural land.  Jerry

-------------- Original message from Wallace Taylor <[log in to unmask]>:
-------------- 


This announcement is basically generalities. The real importance will be
in the details. I hope there really is a new perspective toward forests.
Vilsack has always been a corporate lackey so I think we need to be
vigilant. 

One point did fly out at me. He talks of using forests as a source for
biofuels. This seems to continue the view of foresters that forests are
crops to be planted, managed and harvested for human consumption, not as
a part of the ecosystem in their own right. 

Wally Taylor
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