--- title: "Meaning & Key Takeaway of: I have always said there is only one…" description: "\"I have always said there is only one thing that can bring our nation down - our dependence on foreign countries for food and energy. Agriculture is the..." image: "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/bd4/john-salazar-41698_agriculture_i-have-always-said-there-is-only-one-thi_2751934.png" --- # I have always said there is only one thing that can bring… ![“I have always said there is only one thing that can bring our nation down - our dependence on foreign countries for food and energy. Agriculture is the backbone of our economy.” quote by John Salazar](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/bd4/john-salazar-41698_agriculture_i-have-always-said-there-is-only-one-thi_2751934.png) [Download](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/bd4/john-salazar-41698_agriculture_i-have-always-said-there-is-only-one-thi_2751934.png) [Open image](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/bd4/john-salazar-41698_agriculture_i-have-always-said-there-is-only-one-thi_2751934.png) > “I have always said there is only one thing that can bring our nation down - our dependence on foreign countries for food and energy. Agriculture is the backbone of our economy.” [John Salazar](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/john-salazar/) ## About This Quote This interpretation was drafted with AI assistance. It is one reading of the quote, not the author's own explanation. He warns that reliance on foreign food and energy threatens national stability; agriculture is essential. **In simple terms:** Foreign dependence risks national downfall; agriculture is vital. Key Takeaway Strengthen domestic agriculture and energy. Themes economy security agriculture Mood concerned pragmatic Type policy strategic When to use this quote - policy making - farm support - energy independence - economic planning Key Concepts national sovereignty resource management Questions to Reflect On - How can we balance trade and self‑reliance? - What steps protect food security? A Different Perspective Global trade may limit self‑sufficiency. ★ ★ ★ ★ ★ No ratings yet [Agriculture](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/agriculture/) [Backbone](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/backbone/) [Country](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/country/) [Dependence](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/dependence/) [Economy](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/economy/) [Energy](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/energy/) [Foreign countries](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/foreign-countries/) [Freedom](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/freedom/) ## Related quotes > [Americans increasingly understand that clean energy is more than just an environmental issue. It is crucial to reducing our dangerous dependence on foreign countries.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/martin-heinrich/americans-increasingly-understand-that-clean-energy-is-more-than-just/) [Martin Heinrich](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/martin-heinrich/) > [Agriculture is the backbone of the livelihood security system of nearly 700 million people in the country and we need to build our food…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/m-s-swaminathan/agriculture-is-the-backbone-of-the-livelihood-security-system-of/) [M. S. Swaminathan](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/m-s-swaminathan/) > [Many countries have food safety systems from farm to table. Everybody involved in the food supply is required to follow standard food safety procedures.…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/marion-nestle/many-countries-have-food-safety-systems-from-farm-to-table-everybody/) [Marion Nestle](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/marion-nestle/) > [We need to reduce our dependence on foreign sources of energy.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/charlie-dent/we-need-to-reduce-our-dependence-on-foreign-sources-of-energy/) [Charlie Dent](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/charlie-dent/) > [I think our dependence on foreign oil is a real problem, potential Achilles heel, and we have to do something about it.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/condoleezza-rice/i-think-our-dependence-on-foreign-oil-is-a-real-problem-potential/) [Condoleezza Rice](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/condoleezza-rice/) > [You know, we can't keep talking about our dependence on foreign oil, and the need to deal with global warming, and the challenge that…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/hillary-clinton/you-know-we-can-t-keep-talking-about-our-dependence-on-foreign-oil/) [Hillary Clinton](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/hillary-clinton/) > [This intolerable dependence on foreign oil threatens our economic independence and the very security of our nation. The energy crisis is real. It is…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jimmy-carter/this-intolerable-dependence-on-foreign-oil-threatens-our-economic/) [Jimmy Carter](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jimmy-carter/) > [The U.S. now imports over half of its oil supply from the Middle East. This dangerous dependence on foreign energy sources is an issue…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/kenny-marchant/the-u-s-now-imports-over-half-of-its-oil-supply-from-the-middle-east/) [Kenny Marchant](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/kenny-marchant/) > [Our dependence on foreign energy sources is our Achilles heel, not just in the realm of diplomacy, but in terms of our future as…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/judy-biggert/our-dependence-on-foreign-energy-sources-is-our-achilles-heel-not/) [Judy Biggert](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/judy-biggert/) > [One of our priorities should be to reduce our dependence on foreign oil.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/tim-holden/one-of-our-priorities-should-be-to-reduce-our-dependence-on-foreign/) [Tim Holden](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/tim-holden/) > [People understand we have a dependence upon foreign oil. What they do not understand and find incredibly ridiculous is that we import refined product…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/john-shimkus/people-understand-we-have-a-dependence-upon-foreign-oil-what-they-do/) [John Shimkus](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/john-shimkus/) > [“The food industry burns nearly a fifth of all the petroleum consumed in the United States (about as much as automobiles do). Today it…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/michael-pollan/the-food-industry-burns-nearly-a-fifth-of-all-the-petroleum-consumed/) [Michael Pollan](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/michael-pollan/) > [I think as individuals, people overrate the virtues of local food. Most of the energy consumption in our food system is not caused by…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/tyler-cowen/i-think-as-individuals-people-overrate-the-virtues-of-local-food-most/) [Tyler Cowen](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/tyler-cowen/) > [“A one-pound box of prewashed lettuce contains 80 calories of food energy. According to Cornell ecologist David Pimentel, growing, chilling, washing, packaging, and transporting…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/michael-pollan/a-one-pound-box-of-prewashed-lettuce-contains-80-calories-of-food/) [Michael Pollan](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/michael-pollan/) > [I need my food to keep my energy up, so I can't really diet.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/sienna-miller/i-need-my-food-to-keep-my-energy-up-so-i-can-t-really-diet/) [Sienna Miller](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/sienna-miller/) ## More by John Salazar > [How do you tell troops who volunteered to fight for our freedoms that the country they fought for won't take care of them when…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/john-salazar/how-do-you-tell-troops-who-volunteered-to-fight-for-our-freedoms-that/) [John Salazar](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/john-salazar/) > [Across the country, people are willing to tighten their belts and sacrifice. The president should ask the oil industry to do the same.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/john-salazar/across-the-country-people-are-willing-to-tighten-their-belts-and/) [John Salazar](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/john-salazar/) > [It shouldn't take an emergency for this Administration to deal with the health care needs of our nation's heroes. Funding the VA and our…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/john-salazar/it-shouldn-t-take-an-emergency-for-this-administration-to-deal-with/) [John Salazar](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/john-salazar/) > [We took the insurance companies out of the driver's seat.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/john-salazar/we-took-the-insurance-companies-out-of-the-driver-s-seat/) [John Salazar](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/john-salazar/) > [All communities have a right to clean water. The taxpayers of Pueblo should not have to carry the burden of the clean up cost…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/john-salazar/all-communities-have-a-right-to-clean-water-the-taxpayers-of-pueblo/) [John Salazar](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/john-salazar/) > [I haven't forgotten where I came from.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/john-salazar/i-haven-t-forgotten-where-i-came-from/) [John Salazar](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/john-salazar/) > [By increasing the use of renewable fuels such as ethanol and bio-diesel, and providing the Department of Energy with a budget to create more…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/john-salazar/by-increasing-the-use-of-renewable-fuels-such-as-ethanol-and-bio/) [John Salazar](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/john-salazar/) > [I always am a firm believer in you compensate people for their job, and so I did give them bonuses. We accomplished a lot…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/john-salazar/i-always-am-a-firm-believer-in-you-compensate-people-for-their-job/) [John Salazar](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/john-salazar/) > [We need a president who understands the contributions and values of rural America, a president who understands the men and women who are up…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/john-salazar/we-need-a-president-who-understands-the-contributions-and-values-of/) [John Salazar](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/john-salazar/) [Explore all 10 John Salazar quotes ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/john-salazar/) ## More Agriculture quotes > [Advances in technology will continue to reach far into every sector of our economy. Future job and economic growth in industry, defense, transportation, agriculture,…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/christopher-bond/advances-in-technology-will-continue-to-reach-far-into-every-sector/) [Christopher Bond](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/christopher-bond/) > [To husband is to use with care, to keep, to save, to make last, to conserve. Old usage tells us that there is a…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/wendell-berry/to-husband-is-to-use-with-care-to-keep-to-save-to-make-last-to/) [Wendell Berry](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/wendell-berry/) > [As the first Member of Congress from western Washington to serve on the House Agriculture Committee in over 50 years, I am proud to…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/rick-larsen/as-the-first-member-of-congress-from-western-washington-to-serve-on/) [Rick Larsen](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/rick-larsen/) > [Conventional agriculture has never succeeded in feeding the world, and it's never produced anything good to eat. For the future, we need to look…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/dan-barber/conventional-agriculture-has-never-succeeded-in-feeding-the-world-and/) [Dan Barber](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/dan-barber/) > [I would say my fraternity was nothing but a bunch of farm boys; we weren't really in the whole fraternity scene, but yeah, that's…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/luke-bryan/i-would-say-my-fraternity-was-nothing-but-a-bunch-of-farm-boys-we/) [Luke Bryan](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/luke-bryan/) > [I grew up in Italy, and our country is a country of great agriculture and food produce. It wasn't like I was urban and…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/isabella-rossellini/i-grew-up-in-italy-and-our-country-is-a-country-of-great-agriculture/) [Isabella Rossellini](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/isabella-rossellini/) > [Farmers, get out your sense of humor. Congress meets to relieve you again next week.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/will-rogers/farmers-get-out-your-sense-of-humor-congress-meets-to-relieve-you/) [Will Rogers](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/will-rogers/) > [Because Iran understands Afghanistan far better than Americans do, making Iran a partner in a long-term effort to transform Afghan agriculture makes sense.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/stephen-kinzer/because-iran-understands-afghanistan-far-better-than-americans-do/) [Stephen Kinzer](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/stephen-kinzer/) > [Sara Scherr and Jeff McNeely have given us a thoughtful, sensible book about a topic of great importance to the world. There is no…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/ismail-serageldin/sara-scherr-and-jeff-mcneely-have-given-us-a-thoughtful-sensible-book/) [Ismail Serageldin](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/ismail-serageldin/) > [People want development, modern thinking. They want to encourage and support research in agriculture and other fields.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/sharad-pawar/people-want-development-modern-thinking-they-want-to-encourage-and/) [Sharad Pawar](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/sharad-pawar/) > [Growing corn, which from a biological perspective had always been a process of capturing sunlight to turn into food, has in no small measure…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/michael-pollan/growing-corn-which-from-a-biological-perspective-had-always-been-a/) [Michael Pollan](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/michael-pollan/) > [When politicians talk of loan waiver, they are accepting that agriculture is not economically viable. They are giving a wrong signal that farming is…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/m-s-swaminathan/when-politicians-talk-of-loan-waiver-they-are-accepting-that/) [M. S. Swaminathan](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/m-s-swaminathan/) > [Nitrogen-based fertilizers, which came into wide use after World War II, helped prompt the agricultural revolution that has allowed the Earth to feed its…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/tatiana-schlossberg/nitrogen-based-fertilizers-which-came-into-wide-use-after-world-war/) [Tatiana Schlossberg](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/tatiana-schlossberg/) > [Agriculture is one economic activity that does not obey the laws of demand and supply.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/john-kenneth-galbraith/agriculture-is-one-economic-activity-that-does-not-obey-the-laws-of/) [John Kenneth Galbraith](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/john-kenneth-galbraith/) > [More than a mere alternative strategy, regenerative agriculture represents a fundamental shift in our culture’s relationship to nature.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/charles-eisenstein/more-than-a-mere-alternative-strategy-regenerative-agriculture/) [Charles Eisenstein](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/charles-eisenstein/) [Browse all 889 Agriculture quotes ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/agriculture/) ```json { "@context": "https://schema.org", "@graph": [ { "@type": "Quotation", "text": "I have always said there is only one thing that can bring our nation down - our dependence on foreign countries for food and energy. 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