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Vilsack visits Miami to tout Obama's jobs plan
The Agriculture Secretary spoke with Florida Trend during his visit.
During a visit to the Port of Miami Saturday, Agriculture Secretary Tom Vilsack took time out of his schedule speak with Florida Trend about President Obama's $450 billion jobs plan.
"If I were a producer, a grower, a rancher, I'd what know what's in it for me," said Vilsack. The Agriculture secretary said that 98% of farmers, producers and ranchers in Florida, and elsewhere in the country, would benefit from Obama's proposal to cut the payroll tax in half to 3.1%, in effect allowing them to expand their operations and hire more workers. He said improvements to the nation's crumbling infrastructure should also be "music to the ears of ag producers," who rely so much on infrastructure to transport their products.
Specifically, the President's plan includes $50 billion for improving roads, bridges, rail lines, water systems and other infrastructure that has received a "D" grade from the American Society of Civil Engineers. Vilsack said workers in rural communities in Florida would also benefit from tax credits and that $1.7 billion in financial support to small town and county governments would help 26,000 Florida teachers and first responders keep their jobs.
Saturday's visit to the Port of Miami was Vilsack's third visit to the state this year and he praised port leaders and members of the Miami-Dade agricultural community for creating an economic success story. Vilsack said the $920 million in agricultural goods that moved through the port last year was nearly double the amount moved in 2006 and that those exports have helped support 8,400 American jobs.
Vilsack said there are also important financial "lessons for the rest of the economy" that can be gleaned from the agriculture sector. "Farmers have been careful to monitor their debt and not get too heavily in debt. About 90% of their assets are debt-free. For every $1 of debt, they have $9 to $10 in equity," said Vilsack. The Ag secretary said he believes that passing Obama's American Jobs Act would provide a "quick jolt" to the economy, and that -- coupled with an expansion of exports — could go a long way in helping to "rebuild America's middle class."
