Agriculture's Ambassador in US and Away

OMAHA (DTN) -- Kip Tom recalls he had just spoken to Donald Trump about issues in agriculture on July 13 in Butler, Pennsylvania, when a sniper killed a man who had injured the former president.

Tom, 69, is a seventh-generation Indiana farmer who served as the U.S. ambassador to the United Nations Agencies for Food and Agriculture during the Trump administration. Tom said his thoughts initially went back to 1963 when President John F. Kennedy was assassinated.

"I remember that was the first thing that flashed back into my mind as that first bullet went across right above me. I was sitting to the right of the president next to the red carpet," Tom said.

Just minutes earlier, Tom had been updating Trump on the farm economy.

"We just talked a little bit about agriculture and where we are today and what it was like when he was president, and where it could go in the future," Tom said.

Policymakers at the highest levels gauge Tom's perspective about the farm economy, trade and how farmers are being affected by regulations. His name has already been suggested as a possible secretary of agriculture if Trump wins in November.

For all his work representing agriculture both in the U.S. and internationally, Tom has been selected to be honored in 2024 as part of a special series online at DTN, as well as a special issue of Progressive Farmer magazine. DTN/Progressive Farmer is profiling people who individually, or sometimes with others in an organization, are making a difference as Voices for Agriculture.

ROLE OF AGRICULTURE

At a U.S. Meat Export Federation event in Kansas City earlier in 2024, Tom explained the role agriculture plays as a pillar in the country's national security.

"Without food, we would not be a national power," he said. "We need to understand our role, and everything is connected. What goes on in Africa can affect us back here."

Tom was already well known in farming circles before he opted to run for Congress in 2016. He lost the race, but increasing his voice as a farmer landed Tom a role at the FAO focusing on global food security challenges. Seeing the struggles of countries trying to feed themselves and the instability created by hunger left a lasting impression.

INSPIRED BY FATHER

Tom said he was inspired by his father, Everett, who turned the farm business over to Tom when he was in his 30s. Shortly before Everett passed away in 2022, Kip said they drove around the farm; they stopped at one of the first fields Everett farmed. They noted that in Everett's lifetime, production had gone from 30 bushels of corn per acre to around 240 bpa. "And then he looked at me and says, 'Now, what are you going to do?'" Kip Tom said.

U.S. AG AND THE WORLD

Tom's work at the FAO also showed him that the U.S. needs to draw more import commitments from areas of the world that have relied more heavily on American aid in the past.

"We put more money into Africa than China, and we don't ask anything in return," Tom told lawmakers at a congressional hearing earlier this year.

Tom also pointed out that another risk to U.S. farmers is the reliance on China for crop protection products.

"This is a national security threat to the United States and our allies," Tom said.

A major part of the problem, Tom said, is that the regulations to develop more manufacturing capacity for crop protection tools is too stringent in the U.S., so a lot of it is now done offshore. Asked why crop protection products are being made in China, Tom replied, "I would say because of the extensive regulatory burden we have here in the United States."

OTHER AGRICULTURAL ISSUES

Tom also talked about the risk of intellectual property theft and the need to take concrete steps to production agricultural technology. He also stressed that the U.S. must increase its public-sector research investments in agriculture.

"We need to make sure we shore up research and development. If not, we're going to suffer the economic consequences and food security around the world," Tom said.

Along with addressing regulatory challenges, Tom said the U.S. needs to develop more markets such as sustainable aviation fuels to add more domestic value to products rather than exporting raw commodities.

"What can we do here in the United States to provide more value for the crops that we produce?" Tom said. "At the end of the day, we need these products -- we need these opportunities -- to add value to our products."

ENGAGE THE PUBLIC SECTOR MORE

Rather than just relying on government, Tom also said at a World Food Prize forum last October that more effort needs to be made to engage the private sector. Too often everyone turns directly to U.N. agencies for agricultural support.

"But who has the intellectual property? Who has the capital? Who has the ability to educate people in the private sector?" Tom asked. "We need private sector engagement across the developing world to bring the tools and technology and let them reinvest in those communities."

Tom said there needs to be more connections between private companies in agriculture and development because, "Let's face it, we're not making the inroads we need to solve this global problem."

HELP FARMERS IN AFRICA

Tom noted that in the past, FAO technical assistance to farmers has been heavily influenced by Europe. The U.S. is now trying to take some of its innovations to help farmers in sub-Saharan Africa.

"When people can't feed themselves, they lose hope, and when they lose hope, they migrate," Tom said. "When they migrate, we know they become one of the 20 million victims who get involved in human trafficking, or they get involved in arms movement, or in a worst-case scenario, they get involved in extremism itself," he said.

"If we can prevent people from losing hope, and feed themselves, they tend to want to stay home," Tom said. "That's what we try to do is create that resilience and capacity building at FAO."

INCREASE PRODUCTION OF DOMESTIC INPUTS

Speaking to members of the U.S. Meat Export Federation, Tom said agriculture needs to increase production and reestablish a stream of domestic inputs for crops. There are challenges, including supply chains, labor, regulations. The country needs a national agricultural strategy.

"We have the best beef, pork, lamb and poultry in the world. The qualities are the best. And we need to sell that quality because I don't think anyone else can compete with us," Tom said. "And that gives us American food power."

Chris Clayton can be reached at Chris.Clayton@dtn.com

Follow him on social platform X @ChrisClaytonDTN

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Editor's Note:

DTN invites you to pass along to us who you feel is worthy of recognition in future Voices for Agriculture special coverage. Send your suggestions and reasons why to elaine.shein@dtn.com.

For more on our Voices for Agriculture special coverage, go to the following links:

-- "Tips To Become a Voice for Agriculture," https://www.dtnpf.com/…

-- "Voices for Agriculture: Millennial Farmer Zach Johnson Reflects on Past 8 Years," https://www.dtnpf.com/…

-- "Voices for Agriculture: Farm Aid Advocates for Family Farms Profitability and Survival," https://www.dtnpf.com/…

-- Editor's Notebook blog, "Honoring Voices for Agriculture," https://www.dtnpf.com/…

-- Editor's Notebook blog, "Voices for Agriculture: Just What We Needed," https://www.dtnpf.com/…

-- To listen to a podcast hosted by Sarah Mock where Elaine Shein and her talk about how DTN selected this year's Voices for Agriculture, who they are and some of the tips on being a Voice for Agriculture, go to E205: "Celebrating Voices for Agriculture" at https://www.dtnpf.com/….

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