Vilsack selected as Obama's secretary of agriculture

President-elect Barack Obama has chosen former Iowa governor Tom Vilsack to fill the position of Secretary of Agriculture for the new administration. Obama said Vilsack was an easy pick as he comes from an agriculture abundant state. "He will help us with implementing a new farm bill and help farmers to continue to feed and fuel the world," said Obama during a Chicago press conference making the announcement.

Vilsack said he is honored to be appointed to the position of Secretary of Agriculture.
"I will help conserve and preserve America's land, water and forests because this is a department that impacts every American," said Vilsack.

Vilsack served two terms as Iowa's governor from 1998 until 2002. The appointment comes as a surprise to some since reports in late November said he had not been contacted by Obama about the job. Sen. Chuck Grassley, R-IA, said it was a surprise since Vilsack stated about three weeks ago that he wasn't in contention for the job, but he wasn't surprised because he is qualified. "As Governor of Iowa, he has a firsthand look at the role of agriculture in our global economy," Grassley said in a statement.

Iowa Sen. Tom Harkin, chairman of the Senate Agriculture Committee said, "He knows production agriculture, and he knows the changes we need to ensure its profitability and future, including for young and beginning farmers and ranchers."

Iowa's current Governor Chet Culver said, "This is a great honor for Iowa and a great choice for America. Tom Vilsack brings deep experience as a Governor and as someone who understands agriculture, renewable energy, and rural development."

Sen. Ben Nelson, D-NE, voiced strong support for his fellow former governor, describing him as someone who "won't need a lot of on-the-job training."
"Vilsack knows agriculture from the field to the fork to the future of improving America's energy security with biofuels," Nelson said. "He understands the issues, the industry and how to get results."

Experts said Vilsack's experience as governor of a major corn-producing state makes him intimately familiar with many of the renewable fuels issues. Obama and Vilsack are both considered advocates of ethanol and other biofuels as a way to reduce the nation's reliance on foreign oil. They are expected to promote the push for "green" energy industries such as solar and wind energy also.

Vilsack, an attorney, is the former mayor of Mt. Pleasant, Iowa and a former member of the Iowa Senate. Since May 2007 he has been employed by a Minneapolis-based law firm.

Colorado Sen. Ken Salazar, a fifth-generation farmer-rancher whose congressman brother, John, last week was rumored to be the top pick for the agriculture post, was named as secretary of the interior. Salazar's experience with protecting farmland and natural resources in his state made him an easy pick for the position according to Obama.

Vilsack will be the fourth former opponent of Obama in the campaign for the 2008 Democratic presidential nomination to join his new administration. Others include Vice President-elect Joe Biden, Sen. Hillary Rodham Clinton, who has been tapped for secretary of state, and New Mexico Gov. Bill Richardson, selected to head the U.S. Department of Commerce.
As Iowa's governor, Vilsack balanced Iowa's budget and resisted raising taxes, but he was willing to spend money on priorities such as education and health. He said the push for alternative energy sources was the key to bolstering rural sections of the nation that are struggling economically with diminishing populations.