WNDU: Congressman Tim Walberg, USDA official tour Leitz Farms in Berrien County

Congressman Tim Walberg and USDA Deputy Secretary Stephen Vaden toured Leitz Farms in Sodus Township on Thursday, meeting with a southwest Michigan farmer to discuss trade policy, migrant labor and fertilizer production.

During the tour, officials observed the farm’s specialty crop packaging process and learned how workers maintain sanitary conditions. The visit began in the Jackson area before continuing to Sodus Township.

Walberg and Vaden asked questions and heard from the farmer about challenges facing growers in the region. Their stated goal was to determine what local farms need from the federal government to maintain a stable workforce.

Vaden connected the farm visit to a broader effort to promote domestically grown food.

“If you want to make America healthy again, step one is to ensure that everything that is on our plates came from right here in the United States,” Vaden said. “Because if it did, we won’t have food safety concerns. You’re not worried about the labor conditions or any other ethical concerns you may have — all you need to do is buy it, eat it, and enjoy it.”

Vaden also noted the strength of Leitz Farms at the conclusion of the tour. Officials said they plan to bring what they learned back to Washington, D.C.