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Smooth operator or sincere leader?

I like this new Secretary of Agriculture. He’s either the smoothest operator, or one of the most sincere gentlemen I’ve ever met.

Every year, The National Association of Farm Broadcasters spends a few days in Washington, D.C. to catch up face-to-face with lawmakers and leadership at the federal level. During a meeting at USDA Monday morning, Mike Johanns announced that he will be holding listening sessions across the country to hear what farmers and ranchers have to say about farm policy.

He told our group of 30-some reporters, “It is important that we operate in the open, important that we do that to fulfill our mission here at the USDA. Transparency is essential to serve our farmers and ranchers across this country. It won’t be very long before there’s a whole lot of discussion and talk about the new Farm Bill. The new Farm Bill will affect America’s entire ag community. I feel strongly that America’s entire ag community should have a say in the process.”

This soft-spoken Iowan turned Nebraskan told us he wants to ask farmers and ranchers how farm policy is affecting them and how the agency he now heads up might make that policy better.
Johanns is especially interested in hearing how USDA is doing at encouraging and supporting the next generation of farmers and people who are interested in starting out in production agriculture. He wants to know if the government is fostering the right kind of atmosphere for farmers and ranchers, one in which the opportunity to succeed is there.

He also wants to know if you think there is more USDA can do to expand this administration’s success with cooperative conservation.

While serving as governor of Nebraska, Johanns would set aside travel days. He would hit the road and travel the state to talk to producers. He wants to do the same thing as Ag Secretary.
“And so I’m ready to go to work. I said in my confirmation hearing that I wanted to be the kind of secretary that got out of the Beltway and listened to farmers and ranchers.

I am so looking forward to this. I’m excited to get out of the Beltway and get out with farmers and ranchers.”

“This is not going to be a session where we just shoot the bull. This will be a session where we really try to focus in on what’s important, what’s working, what’s not working, the kinds of things we need to be thinking about as we develop the next Farm Bill.”

I believe him. I also believe that he wants to do the right thing when it comes to trade. When asked when the border would open to Canadian beef and cattle, Johanns said, “These folks who maintain that they are somehow helping the little guy by keeping the border closed aren’t helping any little guy I know. They are devastating the industry.”

“We have Mom and Pop operations that have been processing for years that are closing. We have people that are losing their jobs. We have communities that are devastated by the economic loss of layoffs from the processing industry. Our processing is being constricted while Canada’s is expanding. Some body has to explain to me how that helps the little guy. It hammers the little guy.”

“There is a golden rule in trade. You can’t treat one country one way, another country a different way, and not pay a price for it. We can’t be hammering on Japan while we’re treating Canada much differently. It’s a small world out there.”

I’m keeping an eye on him, but I believe Mike Johanns has our best interest at heart.