In meeting with former economic advisors to the Reagan and Clinton administration and advisors to the John McCain campaign, Harkin said it was agreed that action had to be taken quickly to halt the recession.
"They all painted a very bleak picture of where our economy is and where it might be headed unless we do some very intense job creation," Harkin said according to Successful Farming magazine.
He said much of the job creation through the USDA would come from the Rural Development program which in part helps to develop alternative energies like wind farms and biofuel.
Incoming agriculture secretary Tom Vilsack has said that supporting alternative sources of income for farmers like wind technology and the promotion of biofuel will be important parts of his tenure.
President Obama announced today that an economic stimulus plan is "on target" to be approved by the middle of next month.
