Tom Vilsack has officially taken the helm at the U.S. Department of Agriculture.
The U.S. Senate recently confirmed President Joe Biden’s nomination of Vilsack as USDA secretary, allowing Vilsack to resume the post he held from 2009 through 2016. A Pittsburgh native, Vilsack was governor of Iowa before he was picked to lead USDA by President Barack Obama. Vilsack served throughout the Obama administration.
Farm Bureau congratulated Vilsack on his confirmation. American Farm Bureau Federation President Zippy Duvall said Vilsack brings with him “a track record of leadership and previous experience at USDA.”
“Secretary Vilsack and I have spoken several times in recent weeks about opportunities and challenges facing America’s farmers and ranchers, and I look forward to close collaboration,” Duvall said. “We have a lot of work to do as we overcome obstacles created by the COVID-19 pandemic. We must commit to resuming CARES Act programs and continue to build on advances made in trade. We must move forward on the successes made in climate-smart practices while seeking partnerships to ensure new environmental policies remain market-based and voluntary. We also recognize the importance of strengthening the farm bill and bringing broadband to every community in America.”