Tom Vilsack, U.S. Secretary of Agriculture, to Speak at National Press Club, June 5

WASHINGTON, May 28, 2013 /PRNewswire-USNewswire/ -- U.S. Agriculture Secretary Tom Vilsack will speak at a National Press Club Speakers Luncheon on June 5. Mr. Vilsack will discuss U.S. Department of Agriculture (USDA) efforts to help America's farmers, ranchers and foresters mitigate the risks of droughts, floods and invasive pests. He will discuss the problem of food waste in the United States and highlight solutions to improve sustainability. As part of this discussion he will share his vision for USDA's work in the future to help America adapt to modern environmental challenges.

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Mr. Vilsack has pushed in recent days for Congress to pass a new five-year farm bill, announced an expansion of federal crop insurance for organic farmers and had defended the use of biofuels which have been criticized as diverting farmland from food to fuel.

Mr. Vilsack has led the Agriculture Department since 2009, focusing on the support of American farms, land conservation, nutrition for children and the poor and international trade.

Before becoming the head of the USDA, Mr. Vilsack was a two-term governor of Iowa, a state that at the time hadn't elected a Democrat in more than 30 years. He chaired the Governors' Ethanol Coalition and Governors' Biotechnology Partnership and briefly sought Democratic Party's presidential nomination during the 2008 election.

The Press Club luncheon will begin promptly at 12:30 p.m. Remarks will begin at 1:00 p.m., followed by a question-and-answer session, ending at 2 p.m. Tickets may be purchased by going to this link. The cost of luncheon admission is $21 for National Press Club members and $35 for non-members. Tickets must be purchased at time of reservation.

National Press Club Luncheons are webcast live on press.org. Follow the conversation on Twitter using the hashtag #NPCLunch, or on Facebook at (facebook.com/PressClubDC) and Twitter (@PressClubDC). Submit questions for speakers in advance and during the live event by sending them to @QNPCLunch on Twitter. Or to email a question in advance, type VILSACK in the subject line and send to [email protected] before 10 a.m. on the day of event.

The Press Club is on the 13th floor, 529 14th Street, NW, Washington, D.C. Credentialed press may cover this event with ID.

About the National Press Club

The National Press Club is the world's leading professional organization for journalists with more than 3,300 members worldwide representing every major news organization. More than 250,000 people visit the Club each year to attend more than 2,000 events. The Club was founded in 1908 and is on the web at press.org.

SOURCE National Press Club