Vilsack heads to G8 Agricultural Ministerial

Vilsack heads to G8 Agricultural Ministerial    U.S. Agriculture Secretary Tom Vilsack left Washington Thursday to participate in the Group of 8 Agricultural Ministerial in Treviso, Italy on April 18-20.
   'Agriculture is the foundation on which recovery from the global recession and financial and food price crisis will be built, especially for developing countries, which derive much of their income from agriculture production,' Vilsack said in a statement.
   While in Italy, Vilsack will meet with Food and Agriculture Organization Director General Jacques Diouf, International Fund for Agricultural Development President Kanayo Nwanze, and World Food Program Executive Director Josette Sheeran.
   He will also hold bilateral meetings with his counterparts from Egypt, Japan and Russia, and meet with senior agricultural officials from the governments of China, the United Kingdom and the European Commission.
   The G8 Agricultural Ministerial, comprised of agricultural leaders from Canada, France, Germany, Italy, Japan, Russia, the United Kingdom and the United States, is one of nine separately planned ministerial-level meetings delineated by function, including agriculture, development, finance and labor.