If tonight was to be the start of the "adult conversation" that U.S. Agriculture Secretary Tom Vilsack wanted to have with rural America, he found himself on the receiving end of much of the discussion.
Many of the 200-plus people in a standing-room-only crowd at the veterans' hall in Weaverville lamented the loss of timber jobs in Trinity County because of Endangered Species Act protections for the Northern spotted owl and urged the U.S. Forest Service to expedite the thinning of fire fuels from forest floors.
The secretary reiterated his call for unity and focus among folks in the country as the number of rural Americans has dwindled to 16 percent of the nation's total population. He also said the federal government has a lot of work to do to repair relations with rural dwellers who've grown distrustful of its motives.
During a press conference afterward, in response to my question about his comments about "wedge issues" during a speech last week in Washington, D.C., Vilsack said he had no objections to people remaining politically engaged on regulations that could affect their livelihoods.
But he objected to what he said was continued harping by farmers and ranchers on proposals that had been rescinded.
"The dust rule was never going to happen, and that was still the focus of conversations," he said. "My view is what we ought to be having is sort of what we had here tonight -- people coming in with ideas. Let's not worry so much about regulation but (asking), 'What is the solution to the problem?'"
Vilsack will remain in Weaverville for a roundtable discussion tomorrow morning with forestry "stakeholders" at a local mill and then will head to Sacramento for the Almond Board of California's annual conference, where he will speak on Wednesday.
Look for my full coverage of tonight's meeting at CapitalPress.com early tomorrow.
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