Campus Life

USDA Secretary Tom Vilsack to host White House Rural Forum at Penn State

Closed event will be live-streamed to the public

UNIVERSITY PARK, Pa. -- U.S. Agriculture Secretary Tom Vilsack, the first chair of the White House Rural Council, will convene a White House Rural Forum at Penn State's University Park campus on Wednesday, Oct. 5.

The invitation-only event will take place from 8:30 a.m. to noon in Heritage Hall at the HUB-Robeson Center. The forum will be live-streamed for the public at http://wpsu.org/event/.

Vilsack will be joined by Pennsylvania Gov. Tom Wolf, rural leaders and state and federal officials. Participants will include Nick Jones, Penn State vice president and provost, Rick Roush, dean of Penn State's College of Agricultural Sciences, and Russell Redding, Pennsylvania Secretary of Agriculture.

The forum is aimed at urging lawmakers, foundations and nonprofits, and the private sector to recognize the opportunities in America's rural communities to ensure continued momentum for social and economic progress.

Stakeholders are encouraged to engage with @USDA (#RuralResults) on Twitter and Facebook to share their perspective on some of the most important challenges facing rural communities today, including economic growth, quality of life, access to nutritious food and health care.

The forum will feature remarks by Vilsack and Wolf and panel discussions focusing on economic drivers and quality of life in rural America. Roush will participate in a panel spotlighting the future of agriculture.

U.S. Secretary of Agriculture Tom Vilsack Credit: Penn StateCreative Commons

Last Updated October 5, 2016

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