Vilsack Nest Secretary of Ag
Former Secretary of Agriculture Tom Vilsack appears all but certain to be confirmed as the next Secretary of Agriculture, a post he held in the Obama administration.
Just days before word of his name surfaced as President-Elect Biden’s pick as Secretary of Ag, Vilsack participated in a Colorado Proud roundtable discussion on the impact of the 2020 pandemic on ag and trade issues.
Vilsack served as Ag Secretary during the Obama administration and as an agriculture advisor to the Biden campaign.
Vilsack: “I don’t think there’s any doubt based on the President-elect’s rural agenda as he articulated during the campaign that you’re going to continue to see support and I would hope enhanced support for local and regional food systems. You’ll also see a directive to creatively use the department’s tools to the extent available to create that pathway to a net-zero agricultural future, one that creates new revenue sources for farmers. On the trade side, I thinking that you’ll see a recognition that trade is important. I think that you’ll see a focus on implementation of the USMCA agreement to make sure it’s followed through not only the letter but the spirit of the agreement.“
Vilsack says there will be a wait and see attitude when it comes to China. He says the new administration will continue to watch how China performs under phase one of the agreement for purchasing US ag and other products.
Reports indicate Biden wants Vilsack in the Ag Department because of his experience especially as the US faces a growing hunger crisis and farmers and rural communities struggle to weather the pain and economic fallout of the pandemic.
