COLUMBIA, S.C. — JC Chandler, 18, is a young rancher and a senior at SC's Governor's School for Agriculture. “I want to be a beef cattle physiologist and embryologist because I love genetics and I love being able to see how I can breed two cattle and see how the cow grows from conception to harvesting.”
Through a loan from the United States Department of Agriculture (USDA), Chandler was able to get his first cattle herd started.
“We need to get the youth involved and interested. One way they can do that is through this loan. This loan not only lets them get involved with agriculture but it teaches them money management," said Chandler.
The loan, through the USDA is aimed at helping farmers remain productive on their own land.
United States Department of Agriculture Secretary Thomas Vilsack visited South Carolina State in Orangeburg Thursday.
“Turns out we lost one hundred and forty one million acres of land that was once in farming that is no longer in farming today… Are we okay with that?, ” asked Vilsack.
“It allows us to go to our friends at Congress about the importance of getting a farm bill done to provide certainty…getting a budget so we continue to have the staff to do the programs and to provide the resources to the HBCUs and other minority serving institutions,” Vilsack explained after listening to the local farmers on the panel explain their experiences farming.
“This is a relatively difficult time for farmers, where they have absolutely exhausted all avenues,” said Vilsack.
Which is why USDA says they are implementing new approaches to support smaller, more diverse food and agriculture businesses, and giving rural Americans the opportunity to succeed in the communities they love.
“It engages in getting the next generations prepared to be the leaders in food and agriculture,” Vilsack said.