Vilsack visit report

Vilsack Visits Indiana To Talk Stimulus Package Not Agriculture 06/02/2009
by Gary Truitt
US Secretary of Agriculture Tom Vilsack made his first visit to Indiana on Tuesday, but the purpose of this visit had very little to do with agriculture. The Secretary started his day in Terre Haute where he announced a grant of $3.3 million for the Honey Creek Watershed Project. Funding for the Honey Creek Project will be matched by $600,000 in local funding to construct approximately six miles of dikes along Thompson Ditch. Within this six miles of dike will be approximately 2,600 feet of floodwall. The project is expected to generate $1.97 million in annual benefits to 390 homes, 190 businesses, and 1,300 acres of crops and pasture. This is just one of several projects in Indiana that are part of more than $8.1 million in floodplain easements in Indiana through the American Recovery and Reinvestment Act (ARRA) of 2009. The Secretary then traveled to Indianapolis where he announced additional funding for Indiana watershed projects, “The funding I‘m announcing today will help reduce the impact of future storms. This funding will not only protect rural communities, but also protect the environment in rural areas from repeated flooding." The $8.1 million investment in Indiana floodplain easements will help protect 3,016 acres of land with 13 projects in various counties throughout the state. These projects are located in Davies County, Gibson County, Knox County, Posey County, Sullivan County, Tippecanoe County, Warren County, and White County. Vilsack said the reason for his visit was to draw attention to the efforts the Obama administration was making to provide relief to states and communities hit hard by the troubles in the auto industry, "USDA is working every day to distribute resources across the nation, including funds from the American Recovery and Reinvestment Act, to support our auto communities and workers as we begin to rebuild the American economy." The Secretary did not, during his visit, meet formally with State Ag leaders or Indiana farm or commodity organizations. At a town hall meeting held in Hendricks County Tuesday afternoon, Vilsack did field a number of agricultural related questions from the mostly farm-oriented audience. Questions ranged from renewable energy, to conservation, to food safety. None of the attendees at the town hall event asked about the American Recovery and Reinvestment Act. More coverage of the town hall meeting will be available on HAT on Thursday.