Biden Taps Vilsack for Ag Secretary

On Dec. 8 major news outlets reported that President-elect Joe Biden had selected former Agriculture Secretary Tom Vilsack to return to that role, leading the U.S. Department of Agriculture. Earlier rumors and speculation on the position favored former N.D. Senator Heidi Heitkamp and Congresswoman Marcia Fudge. Fudge has since been selected to lead Housing and Urban Development.

Reporting had said that Vilsack was backing Heitkamp for the position and Politico Pro reports that Vilsack was reluctant to return to his former role, which he held for eight years under President Barack Obama. Vilsack is leaving his position with the U.S. Dairy Export Council after Biden’s persuasion.

Politico reports Biden as saying he was persistent in talks with Vilsack to lead the agency, despite the nominee’s reluctance. “I asked him to serve again in this role because he knows USDA inside and out,” Biden said of his choice to replace current Ag Secretary Sonny Perdue.

Vilsack’s selection has garnered mixed reactions, with progressives and civil rights leaders expressing concern. However agriculture trade groups and consumer groups have voiced support for Biden’s choice. Vilsack is from Iowa, where he was a two-term governor, a strong agricultural state. Iowa Republican Senator Charles Grassley, an influential senator who sits on the the Agriculture Committee, tweeted out his support, saying in part Vilsack “...understands the importance of preserving the family farm...”

AgWeb reports that Chuck Connor, former Deputy Secretary for USDA, says a Vilsack nomination should remove some of the uncertainty surrounding the agriculture industry brought on by coronavirus and trade concerns. The former Deputy Secretary pointed out that Vilsack comes to the role with a history of working with farm programs and a deep understanding of row crops and programs essential to farmers and ranchers.

National Farmers Union President Rob Larew issued a statement in support of Vilsack, “After eight years leading USDA, Tom Vilsack has the necessary qualifications and experience to steer the agency through these turbulent times.” The press release went on to highlight the that the role of the Ag Secretary extends far beyond supporting farmers and called for reforms to benefit the American public at large “by building a food system that is fairer, more sustainable, and more resilient to disruptions.”

Zippy Duvall, president of the American Farm Bureau, also hailed Biden’s selection, noting he had built a relationship with Vilsack during the Obama administration. “Tom Vilsack understands that the agriculture sector is far more complex than most people understand,” Duvall said in a press release. “He believes in a ‘big tent’ philosophy that supports all types of production and understands the importance of respecting farmers and ranchers as partners worthy of support in the race to achieve sustainability goals.”

KTVQ is reporting support from Montana agriculture leaders as well. Montana Grain Growers Association Executive Vice President Lola Raska told the outlet that Vilsack was good in the areas of safety net programs, which fell under the two farm bills he implemented. Montana Stockgrowers Association Executive Vice President Jay Bodner pointed out that Biden’s selection has extensive experience in trade issues, crucial to boosting profits for Montana ranchers. “He really did focus on a lot on trying to build out some of those (trade agreements). And really, from a Montana perspective, we see that has some advantages because we have a great product to sell,” Bodner said.

Vilsack’s first order of business, if confirmed, will be to lead USDA’s pandemic response. In remarks he said the agency’s role will be “reviving rural communities and economies, addressing dire food shortages, and getting workers and producers the relief they need to hang on and to come back stronger.” He also intends to position agriculture to lead the nation and the world in combating climate change in part to benefit from related new jobs and farm income, in keeping with Biden’s goal of having the American agriculture sector be the first in the world to achieve net-zero emissions. Biden intends to compensate farmers for planting cover crops and other methods to help sequester carbon emissions.