Farmers Set the Priorities
We could sit in our air-conditioned offices and talk about what we think farmers need, but the truth is, they know best. If we want to truly work on developing greater food security, our role is to listen, understand their priorities, and take our cues from the farmers out in the fields themselves. I was grateful to join the Saipan and Northern Islands Soil and Water Conservation District, led by President Glenn Manglona, as they worked with the U.S. Natural Resources Conservation Service to identify priorities for protecting the water and soil resources essential to our food security. It was also encouraging to hear about progress on the Kagman Watershed Project, decades in the making, which will help provide farmers with reliable, consistent, and affordable access to water. I’ll continue working to support the priorities our farmers set because their success is our islands’ resilience.
