USDA Secretary pleased with Paris climate agreement

U.S. Department of Agriculture (USDA) Secretary Tom Vilsack released remarks today on the Conference of Parties 21 (COP21) agreement which was signed this past weekend in Paris.

The Conference of Parties is the “supreme body” of the U.N. Framework Convention on Climate Change (UNFCCC) meets annually.

"The historic COP21 deal supports a better-nourished, stable, secure future for the United States and every nation," Vilsack said. "Thanks to a coalition of global leaders led by President [Barack] Obama, our world is now working together to aggressively address climate change with action and results. The benchmarks outlined in the deal build on the ambitious climate-smart strategy being implemented by U.S. farmers, ranchers and foresters in partnership with USDA and the Obama Administration. Our efforts to boost productivity reduce greenhouse gas emissions, and share best practices with counterparts around the world will help to address climate change and improve global resilience while continuing to meet global demand for food, fiber and fuel."

Climate change can affect food availability, access, utilization and the stability of each around the world over time.