Vilsack: Inner City ‘Minority’ Child ‘Doesn’t Even Know What a Tomato Is’ (+video)

Photo Credit: CNSNews.com/Penny StarrAt the USDA’s annual Agricultural Outlook Forum on Thursday during a panel discussion about attracting young people to the farming industry, Agriculture Secretary Tom Vilsack asked a panelist how she would convince an inner city “minority” child who “doesn’t even know what a tomato is.”

“Emily, I want you to envision an inner city child,” Vilsack said to Emily Oakley, interim director of the National Young Farmer Coalition. “Could be African American, could be Hispanic, could be Native American, Asian, whatever, a minority. You’re talking to that child.

“That child doesn’t even know what a tomato is much less what you are talking about,” Vilsack said. “I want you to convince that kid that he ought to think about farming.”

Oakley replied, “The real issue is how do you get a kid to know what a tomato is” after explaining how best to get kids to know their fruits and vegetables.

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