Transcript of Remarks to Reporters by U.S. Agriculture Secretary Ed Schafer
Delivered following a video teleconference briefing from Baghdad to USDA Headquarters by USDA Provincial Reconstruction Team members in Iraq
Washington, DC, March 11, 2008 – Today, I had the opportunity to speak to our USDA Provincial Reconstruction Team (PRT) – our agriculture advisors and other USDA staff who are gathered in Baghdad from their posts all over Iraq for an agricultural coordination conference. Currently, USDA has 20 advisors in Iraq providing a variety of technical assistance efforts to that country. And, this year we will have the opportunity to add 15 more technical advisors – PRT advisors – throughout the country.
The challenges that our employees are accomplishing – even the small tasks – can, at times, be daunting, but they are persevering. These men and women are providing a tremendous assistance to the people of Iraq and are making huge personal sacrifices for our country.
Today was my opportunity to thank them for their sacrifices, and for their commitment to the USDA mission; to tell them how proud we are of them and that we recognize and appreciate their hard work.
We do continue to provide all the support we possibly can for these fine men and women and their families. I must tell you that when we had the chance to ask them for what we could do here, they had some good ideas and we will be trying to pass the word along as well as collecting some much-needed office supplies so they can do their work over there.
Even though agriculture is the second leading industry in Iraq, that country's agricultural resources were mismanaged and neglected for decades, and our agriculture advisors are now faced with the task of resolving a situation with overwhelming humanitarian implications.
The good news is that Iraq is blessed with both oil and water. These natural resources provide a means for Iraq to earn income and grow food to feed its people.
This country has great potential to become a good trade partner to the United States and other countries. But first, we must address Iraq's humanitarian needs.
Thanks to our military men and women serving our country, the overall security environment in Iraq has improved. Our USDA employees today affirmed that. They are working in safer, better conditions that are allowing them to interact with the Iraqi people on a much better basis. We certainly appreciate the commitment that our military has made there to improving the situation.
The improvement allows our agriculture advisors to meet Iraqi citizens face-to-face; to assess their needs, to begin the hard work of pulling together Iraq and U.S. and aid organization resources to plan and implement reconstruction and agricultural development projects and rebuild Iraq's institutional capacity.
I have heard many good things about the work our ag advisors are doing over there, from establishing farm organizations and ensuring animal health, to managing natural resources and rebuilding that institutional capacity to clean and maintain irrigation canals. I must say, it was a thrill to talk to them today and hear the work that they are doing. They are trouble-shooting there to remove barriers in connectivity and communications to get people to understand where to go and who to talk to get their work to move forward.
We are providing training and education, seed and feed and improvements in slaughterhouses and hatcheries – all the things that USDA delivers to the people of the United States of America, our agricultural advisers there are providing: that research, that knowledge, the resources and importantly, the friendships to build the relationships to interact that are going on there. I have to tell you I cannot be more pleased with the people, the USDA employees, who made a commitment to being there for one year.
I think we heard from them, three themes today.
One, the improved security: I mentioned that, but it's important to note that from people who are on the ground, working there everyday, notice the improved atmosphere, the better ability to get around, and importantly the way they can safety interact with the people and provide the services and missions that they have gone over there to do.
Secondly, our employees there want the people of the United States to understand that their tax dollars that going into these areas are being well-spent: that we are doing good things there, that we are improving the agriculture arena, therefore, the economy – the second largest piece of the economy – in Iraq. Our employees very much wanted the people of the United States to understand that their work there is making a difference and that our tax dollars that are going there are improving the lives of people and long term, are going to improve that country tremendously.
The third theme that I heard over and over again was the similarity between the agriculture people in Iraq to the people of the United States. Our employees there wanted us to know that the Iraqi farmers, the Iraqi ranchers, the Iraqi landowners, are similar to the people here in the United States. They may have different languages, different customs, different religions – but they are good and honest and hardworking people. They raise their families in often difficult conditions. They care for the land, they are generous – these are words that I am repeating that our folks said – they are generous, they are courteous, and they are friendly and receptive, and desire the services of USDA.
They know how to farm, but the arena has been neglected for so long over there, that they need the research that's gone on, they want the up-to-date abilities, the up-to-date methods, so that they can improve their lives, their neighborhoods and their country. So, we thank them for that as well.
The relationships and the work that our PRT members are building and doing in Iraq today will have benefits for years to come: from the soil tilled and the seeds that are planted today, will come an Iraq that will provide food for its people, stability for its region, and the lesson that farmers have known for centuries: Hard work can bring about life-giving change.
Again, to our USDA employees in Iraq and their families, I thank you all for your service. I appreciate your efforts and your commitment that you are making for us, the sacrifices you are making for your country, and to your families, and your friends and your community. Again, I want you to know that we are here for you and you have to let us know whatever we can do to help, we want to do so.
