Farming plays major role in Obama's community revitalization effort

Farming, food processing and distribution are playing a major role in a community revitalization program designed to lift people out of poverty and reduce crime in special Promise Zones across the country, USDA Secretary Tom Vilsack said.  One of the nine new Promise Zones announced Monday is in southwest Florida. The area has developable land, an unemployment rate of over 30 percent, and plenty of potential for growth, Vilsack told reporters in a teleconference. Creating an ecotourism industry in the area is one possibility that federal and local officials are looking at, but perhaps an even more lucrative option would be to help establish and promote locally grown food, Vilsack said. Because of the area's new designation as a Promise Zone, it will have special access to a wide variety of federal programs, and USDA is prepared to help new farmers open markets for their crops with schools, farmers markets and restaurants.