Agriculture Secretary Tom Vilsack is continuing his world travels this week in Europe after visiting Cuba, Japan and China in the past few weeks.
Vilsack has been in Brussels, Belguim already this week and is heading to Paris now to address international dignitaries and stakeholders on the Transatlantic Trade and Investment Partnership (TTIP), climate change, and global food security. While in Brussels, Secretary Vilsack addressed the European Parliament Committee on Agriculture and Rural Development (AGRI) and the EU Agricultural Outlook Conference.

In Paris, he will be attending the 21st Conference of Parties (COP21) climate change summit. At the conference, Vilsack will participate in three side events where he will address the impacts of climate change on agricultural production and food security. The secretary is hosting a side event on Climate Change, Global Food Security, and the U.S. Food System, where he will unveil a new report identifying the effects of climate change on global food security through 2100.

“Climatic stresses impact all of us and have real consequences on food production, dramatically affecting the yields of crops and threatening food security,” said Vilsack. “All nations have a role to play in supporting agricultural growth and driving the innovation necessary to survive. Greater access to innovative tools and technologies will allow farmers, ranchers, and producers to curb the effects of climate change, increase access to food, and ultimately, provide ladders of opportunity for people in rural areas around the world.”

Secretary Vilsack will also announce a new report highlighting progress on sustainable land use over the past six years.