Ag Secretary Vilsack to speak on global food security, June 13 luncheon

U.S. Agriculture Secretary Thomas Vilsack will address a National Press Club luncheon on Monday, June 13. He will speak about global food security, in advance of the June 23 meeting of the ministers of agriculture from the G20 countries. The United Nations’ Food and Agriculture Organization wants developed countries to shift their assistance from providing emergency food to helping develop agriculture.

Vilsack, 60, became the 30th secretary of agriculture in 2009. Previously he was a two-term governor of Iowa, where his 1998 election made him its first governor from the Democratic Party in 30 years. The Pittsburgh, Penn. native started his political career as mayor of Mt. Pleasant, Iowa in 1987 and also served in the Iowa state senate. As Agriculture Secretary, he's advocated for greater funding for child nutrition programs, tougher oversight of farm subsidy payments and new initiatives that would expand farm and non-farm employment in rural America.

Lunch will be served at 12:30 p.m. Vilsack’s talk will begin at 1 p.m. and end at 2 p.m. The cost of tickets is $18 for Club members, $29 for their guests and $36 for the general public. Reserve at (202) 662-7501 or [email protected]

To submit a question in advance, put VILSACK in the subject line and email to [email protected] before 11 a.m. on the day of the luncheon.

Upcoming Luncheons:

• May 26 - Political commentator Juan Williams


• May 27 - NFL Players Association Executive Director DeMaurice Smith


• June 30 - Actor Gary Sinise


• July 15 - AOL chief Tim Armstrong and Huffington Post chief Arianna Huffington