On September 28, four former U.S. secretaries of agriculture discussed meeting the world’s growing food needs and the role of land-grant universities at an event at the University of Nebraska-Lincoln celebrating the 150th anniversary of the Morrill Act, which brought land-grant universities into being.
The former secretaries were Mike Johanns (2005-2007), Clayton Yeutter (1989-1991), John Block (1981-1985), and Dan Glickman (1995-2001).
They focused on the demands on the world food supply by 2050 and the prospect of a dramatic increase in production using fewer resources, mentioning that much of the future research may be led by land-grant universities.