Vilsack Confirmation Expected
Posted: January 16, 2009
The country may get a new Secretary of Agriculture the same day we get a new president.
Former Iowa governor Tom Vilsack’s confirmation hearing before the Senate went smooth as corn silk this week and he could be confirmed on Inauguration Day, according to Senate Ag Committee Chairman – and fellow Iowan – Tom Harkin.
Looking over the news reports about the hearing – the few that made it in the “main stream” as opposed to the farm media – I was struck by this line in the New York Times article:
His confirmation hearing comes as the farm economy is struggling after years of soaring prices fed by growing demand for exports and ethanol.
What is wrong with this sentence? First, “the farm economy is struggling” – like no other segment of the economy is struggling, and actually agriculture is doing much better than most despite lower prices. Second, “after years of soaring prices” – ummm, make that one year, maybe two at most.
Meanwhile, the Reuters report focused on the fact that Vilsack will take a pay cut to become ag secretary, like that’s really important.
I guess they had to find something to talk about, since Vilsack’s hearing was so – well, boring. The Miami Herald gave an extensive overview of Vilsack’s background (born in Pennsylvania to an unwed mother and a father whose name he still doesn’t know) and stressed his commitment to serving all of agriculture, including fruit and vegetable growing states like Florida. There seemed to be some minor concern that because Vilsack is from the Midwest he would only care about corn and soybean producers.
The hearing did cover a broad range of agricultural, conservation and nutrition related issues, all of which Vilsack basically said he would support. While he was somewhat short on specifics, he did admit he will have a lot to learn once he takes over at USDA.
