<div dir="ltr"><div><table border="0" cellspacing="0" cellpadding="0" width="612"><tbody><tr><td height="12" colspan="4">Release No. 0202.13</td></tr>
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<td height="12" colspan="4" align="right">Contact:</td></tr>
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<td height="12" colspan="4" align="right">USDA Office of Communications <a href="tel:%28202%29%20720-4623" target="_blank" value="+12027204623">(202)
720-4623</a></td></tr>
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<td height="10" valign="center" colspan="4" align="middle">Secretary Vilsack Highlights
First-Ever Report on USDA Efforts to Expand Agroforestry Practices on Farms,
Ranches and Woodlands</td></tr>
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<td height="5" colspan="4" align="middle"> </td></tr>
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<p>WASHINGTON, October 28, 2013 - Agriculture Secretary Tom Vilsack today
released the first-ever report on USDA's role advancing agroforestry. <a title="Opens in new window." href="http://links.govdelivery.com/track?type=click&enid=ZWFzPTEmbWFpbGluZ2lkPTIwMTMxMDI4LjI0NTgxMjAxJm1lc3NhZ2VpZD1NREItUFJELUJVTC0yMDEzMTAyOC4yNDU4MTIwMSZkYXRhYmFzZWlkPTEwMDEmc2VyaWFsPTE3ODQwMTUxJmVtYWlsaWQ9cGhkZWFuZ2VsaXNAZ21haWwuY29tJnVzZXJpZD1waGRlYW5nZWxpc0BnbWFpbC5jb20mZmw9JmV4dHJhPU11bHRpdmFyaWF0ZUlkPSYmJg==&&&101&&&http://www.usda.gov/documents/usda-reports-to-america-agroforestry-brief.pdf" target="_blank">Agroforestry: USDA Reports to America</a> details how agroforestry
practices are helping farmers, ranchers and woodland owners enhance agricultural
productivity, protect the environment and increase profits.</p>
<p>"USDA has invested less than one percent of its budget into tree-based
practices. Yet that small investment allows us to help create private goods and
public services that reap great rewards, including reduced greenhouse gas
emissions and more resilient agricultural lands," Vilsack said. "However, much
work remains to promote and sustain agroforestry practices, which have great
potential to promote economic growth and job creation in rural communities."</p>
<p>Agroforestry is a management approach that intentionally combines agriculture
and forestry to create more sustainable land-use systems. Over the last five
years, USDA has assisted landowners financially and with technical guidance to
establish roughly 336,000 acres of windbreaks, riparian forest buffers and alley
cropping; about 2,000 acres of silvopasture; and about 500 acres of forest
farming. Those acres represent less than 1 percent of the potentially suitable
land for applying those practices, suggesting there is an opportunity to
significantly expand the application of agroforestry in the United States.</p>
<p>"Agroforestry provides benefits beyond rural areas," Vilsack said. "In
suburban areas, agroforestry practices can improve wildlife habitat, mitigate
the movement of odors and dust, serve as noise barriers and act as filters that
help keep water clean."</p>
<p><em>Agroforestry: USDA Reports to America</em> is a cross-Departmental effort
from eight agencies serving on the Agroforestry Executive Steering Committee: <a title="Opens in new window." href="http://links.govdelivery.com/track?type=click&enid=ZWFzPTEmbWFpbGluZ2lkPTIwMTMxMDI4LjI0NTgxMjAxJm1lc3NhZ2VpZD1NREItUFJELUJVTC0yMDEzMTAyOC4yNDU4MTIwMSZkYXRhYmFzZWlkPTEwMDEmc2VyaWFsPTE3ODQwMTUxJmVtYWlsaWQ9cGhkZWFuZ2VsaXNAZ21haWwuY29tJnVzZXJpZD1waGRlYW5nZWxpc0BnbWFpbC5jb20mZmw9JmV4dHJhPU11bHRpdmFyaWF0ZUlkPSYmJg==&&&102&&&http://www.ams.usda.gov/AMSv1.0/" target="_blank">Agricultural Marketing Service</a>; <a title="Opens in new window." href="http://links.govdelivery.com/track?type=click&enid=ZWFzPTEmbWFpbGluZ2lkPTIwMTMxMDI4LjI0NTgxMjAxJm1lc3NhZ2VpZD1NREItUFJELUJVTC0yMDEzMTAyOC4yNDU4MTIwMSZkYXRhYmFzZWlkPTEwMDEmc2VyaWFsPTE3ODQwMTUxJmVtYWlsaWQ9cGhkZWFuZ2VsaXNAZ21haWwuY29tJnVzZXJpZD1waGRlYW5nZWxpc0BnbWFpbC5jb20mZmw9JmV4dHJhPU11bHRpdmFyaWF0ZUlkPSYmJg==&&&103&&&http://www.ars.usda.gov/" target="_blank">Agricultural Research Service</a>; <a title="Opens in new window." href="http://links.govdelivery.com/track?type=click&enid=ZWFzPTEmbWFpbGluZ2lkPTIwMTMxMDI4LjI0NTgxMjAxJm1lc3NhZ2VpZD1NREItUFJELUJVTC0yMDEzMTAyOC4yNDU4MTIwMSZkYXRhYmFzZWlkPTEwMDEmc2VyaWFsPTE3ODQwMTUxJmVtYWlsaWQ9cGhkZWFuZ2VsaXNAZ21haWwuY29tJnVzZXJpZD1waGRlYW5nZWxpc0BnbWFpbC5jb20mZmw9JmV4dHJhPU11bHRpdmFyaWF0ZUlkPSYmJg==&&&104&&&http://www.fsa.usda.gov/" target="_blank">Farm Service Agency</a>; <a title="Opens in new window." href="http://links.govdelivery.com/track?type=click&enid=ZWFzPTEmbWFpbGluZ2lkPTIwMTMxMDI4LjI0NTgxMjAxJm1lc3NhZ2VpZD1NREItUFJELUJVTC0yMDEzMTAyOC4yNDU4MTIwMSZkYXRhYmFzZWlkPTEwMDEmc2VyaWFsPTE3ODQwMTUxJmVtYWlsaWQ9cGhkZWFuZ2VsaXNAZ21haWwuY29tJnVzZXJpZD1waGRlYW5nZWxpc0BnbWFpbC5jb20mZmw9JmV4dHJhPU11bHRpdmFyaWF0ZUlkPSYmJg==&&&105&&&http://www.nass.usda.gov/" target="_blank">National Agricultural Statistics Service</a>; <a title="Opens in new window." href="http://links.govdelivery.com/track?type=click&enid=ZWFzPTEmbWFpbGluZ2lkPTIwMTMxMDI4LjI0NTgxMjAxJm1lc3NhZ2VpZD1NREItUFJELUJVTC0yMDEzMTAyOC4yNDU4MTIwMSZkYXRhYmFzZWlkPTEwMDEmc2VyaWFsPTE3ODQwMTUxJmVtYWlsaWQ9cGhkZWFuZ2VsaXNAZ21haWwuY29tJnVzZXJpZD1waGRlYW5nZWxpc0BnbWFpbC5jb20mZmw9JmV4dHJhPU11bHRpdmFyaWF0ZUlkPSYmJg==&&&106&&&http://www.nifa.usda.gov/" target="_blank">National Institute of Food and Agriculture</a>; <a title="Opens in new window." href="http://links.govdelivery.com/track?type=click&enid=ZWFzPTEmbWFpbGluZ2lkPTIwMTMxMDI4LjI0NTgxMjAxJm1lc3NhZ2VpZD1NREItUFJELUJVTC0yMDEzMTAyOC4yNDU4MTIwMSZkYXRhYmFzZWlkPTEwMDEmc2VyaWFsPTE3ODQwMTUxJmVtYWlsaWQ9cGhkZWFuZ2VsaXNAZ21haWwuY29tJnVzZXJpZD1waGRlYW5nZWxpc0BnbWFpbC5jb20mZmw9JmV4dHJhPU11bHRpdmFyaWF0ZUlkPSYmJg==&&&107&&&http://www.nrcs.usda.gov/" target="_blank">Natural Resources Conservation Service</a>; <a href="http://links.govdelivery.com/track?type=click&enid=ZWFzPTEmbWFpbGluZ2lkPTIwMTMxMDI4LjI0NTgxMjAxJm1lc3NhZ2VpZD1NREItUFJELUJVTC0yMDEzMTAyOC4yNDU4MTIwMSZkYXRhYmFzZWlkPTEwMDEmc2VyaWFsPTE3ODQwMTUxJmVtYWlsaWQ9cGhkZWFuZ2VsaXNAZ21haWwuY29tJnVzZXJpZD1waGRlYW5nZWxpc0BnbWFpbC5jb20mZmw9JmV4dHJhPU11bHRpdmFyaWF0ZUlkPSYmJg==&&&108&&&http://www.usda.gov/wps/portal/usda/usdahome?contentidonly=true&contentid=missionarea_RD.xml" target="_blank">Rural Development</a>; and <a title="Opens in new window." href="http://links.govdelivery.com/track?type=click&enid=ZWFzPTEmbWFpbGluZ2lkPTIwMTMxMDI4LjI0NTgxMjAxJm1lc3NhZ2VpZD1NREItUFJELUJVTC0yMDEzMTAyOC4yNDU4MTIwMSZkYXRhYmFzZWlkPTEwMDEmc2VyaWFsPTE3ODQwMTUxJmVtYWlsaWQ9cGhkZWFuZ2VsaXNAZ21haWwuY29tJnVzZXJpZD1waGRlYW5nZWxpc0BnbWFpbC5jb20mZmw9JmV4dHJhPU11bHRpdmFyaWF0ZUlkPSYmJg==&&&109&&&http://www.fs.fed.us/" target="_blank">U.S. Forest Service</a>. These agencies work closely with the <a title="External link or third-party site, opens in new window." href="http://links.govdelivery.com/track?type=click&enid=ZWFzPTEmbWFpbGluZ2lkPTIwMTMxMDI4LjI0NTgxMjAxJm1lc3NhZ2VpZD1NREItUFJELUJVTC0yMDEzMTAyOC4yNDU4MTIwMSZkYXRhYmFzZWlkPTEwMDEmc2VyaWFsPTE3ODQwMTUxJmVtYWlsaWQ9cGhkZWFuZ2VsaXNAZ21haWwuY29tJnVzZXJpZD1waGRlYW5nZWxpc0BnbWFpbC5jb20mZmw9JmV4dHJhPU11bHRpdmFyaWF0ZUlkPSYmJg==&&&110&&&http://www.unl.edu/nac" target="_blank">USDA National Agroforestry Center</a> to advance the science,
practice and application of agroforestry, and guide implementation of the <a title="Opens in new window." href="http://links.govdelivery.com/track?type=click&enid=ZWFzPTEmbWFpbGluZ2lkPTIwMTMxMDI4LjI0NTgxMjAxJm1lc3NhZ2VpZD1NREItUFJELUJVTC0yMDEzMTAyOC4yNDU4MTIwMSZkYXRhYmFzZWlkPTEwMDEmc2VyaWFsPTE3ODQwMTUxJmVtYWlsaWQ9cGhkZWFuZ2VsaXNAZ21haWwuY29tJnVzZXJpZD1waGRlYW5nZWxpc0BnbWFpbC5jb20mZmw9JmV4dHJhPU11bHRpdmFyaWF0ZUlkPSYmJg==&&&111&&&http://www.usda.gov/documents/AFStratFrame_FINAL-lr_6-3-11.pdf" target="_blank">USDA Agroforestry Strategic Framework</a>. A longer version of the
report will be posted by USDA soon.</p>
<p>With the release of this report on agroforestry, USDA wants to start a
national conversation about agroforestry with producers, landowners, communities
and young people - America's future farmers.</p>
<p>"Our goal is and always has been to help landowners understand that trees -
and other permanent vegetation - planted in the right place for the right
reason, will add value to their lands," said Wayne Honeycutt, USDA Natural
Resources Conservation Service Deputy Chief for Science and Technology, who
chairs USDA's Agroforestry Executive Steering Committee. "Through the report, we
are able to show landowner successes. In some cases, family farms have been
saved and woodlands spared from development. We hope by showing these stories,
more landowners will see the potential for their operations."</p>
<p>To access the report, visit <a href="http://links.govdelivery.com/track?type=click&enid=ZWFzPTEmbWFpbGluZ2lkPTIwMTMxMDI4LjI0NTgxMjAxJm1lc3NhZ2VpZD1NREItUFJELUJVTC0yMDEzMTAyOC4yNDU4MTIwMSZkYXRhYmFzZWlkPTEwMDEmc2VyaWFsPTE3ODQwMTUxJmVtYWlsaWQ9cGhkZWFuZ2VsaXNAZ21haWwuY29tJnVzZXJpZD1waGRlYW5nZWxpc0BnbWFpbC5jb20mZmw9JmV4dHJhPU11bHRpdmFyaWF0ZUlkPSYmJg==&&&112&&&http://www.usda.gov/agroforestry" target="_blank">www.usda.gov/agroforestry</a>. Send comments and questions about
the report and USDA's role in agroforestry to <a href="mailto:agroforestry@USDA.gov" target="_blank">agroforestry@USDA.gov</a>.</p>
<p>#</p>
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