Despite his published protests he wasn't under consideration for the post and wouldn't get the nomination, former Iowa Gov. Tom Vilsack is President-elect Barack Obama's selection to be secretary of agriculture. And based on statements from Iowa's two Senators - who both support his nomination - the choice was a surprise to them as well as most of the ag community in Washington, DC, who took the Iowa politician at his word.
Vilsack is a close ally of Sen. Tom Harkin (D, IA), chair of the Senate Agriculture Committee, but even Harkin admitted he was surprised by the nomination after Vilsack told the Des Moines Register in late November he would not be nominated for the post and had not been approached by the Obama transition team. Sen. Chuck Grassley (R, IA) also praised the Vilsack pick, saying his qualifications made the choice a natural, even though Grassley was caught off guard. Vilsack's move to USDA will stop the talk in Iowa about a challenge to Grassley for his Senate seat in 2010.
The two-term governor is known as a centrist, and one who will support Obama's rural and energy programs. Vilsack's major challenge will be the continuing implementation of the 2008 Farm Bill, as well as a likely move during the next couple of years to cut USDA spending by paring back farm program payments. Further, he'll be challenged by Obama's commitments to alternative energy, as well as balancing the conflicting views of industry and activist groups. Other known positions are as follows:
He's an outspoken champion of biotechnology.
He's a staunch supporter of ethanol, biodiesel and wind power, but is willing to look at alternatives to corn-based biofuels.
He favors a strong carbon capture/cap-and-trade program, supporting Obama's position on climate change.
He's opposed to earmarks in the budget process, having balanced Iowa's budget for eight years without raising taxes.
He supports a ban on packer ownership of livestock as proposed during the 2008 Farm Bill debate by Harkin and Grassley.
He's a moderate on farm program payments, at times favoring a shift in budget monies to soil and water management programs.
He'd like to see a hard cap on farm program payments at $250,000 per farmer and a stricter definition of who can be a farmer for payment purposes.
However, the Humane Society of the U.S. (HSUS), the country's largest animal rights group, also likes Vilsack. HSUS told its members to write to Obama, urging him to select an "animal friendly" secretary. "Former Iowa Gov. Tom Vilsack would be (an) excellent choice for this post," HSUS wrote. Vilsack signed an animal fighting bill that was pushed hard in the Iowa Assembly by HSUS.
Some speculate Vilsack was Obama's choice from the get-go, a down payment on the president-elect's huge political debt in Iowa during the caucuses. Because his name surfaced so early in the election process, his "denial" was likely designed to allow Obama to name "more important" cabinet slots first. Vilsack supported Vice President-elect Joe Biden and then Senator Hillary Clinton during the Iowa caucuses following his own failed candidacy; when Clinton dropped out, he shifted allegiance to Obama.