01/05/09 Ag Secretary Vilsack

It's a New Year with a new administration and Idaho ag producers want to know about their new Secretary of Agriculture. Here's a thumbnail. Left as an infant at a Roman Catholic orphanage, Thomas Vilsack was raised by his adoptive parents in Pittsburgh. He went on to college and law school&got married and settled in his wife's home town of Mount Pleasant, Iowa. He was elected governor of Iowa in 1998, serving two four-year terms. Great accomplishments but he's from corn country and that's a long distance from Idaho's farmers isn't it!! But wait. National Association of Wheat Growers Chief Executive Officer Daren Coppock commended Obama for his choice as head of the USDA saying that he is "Somebody who knows agriculture, has worked in the issues like bio-fuel and the major issues that we're facing in this industry." Coppock mentioned Vilsack's support for conservation programs but was most encouraged by the fact that the incoming President& (Coppock)"Didn't bring somebody in just to slash and burn, kind of person who is going to take the entire farm bill and throw it out the window. And there were certainly some names being considered or proposed to the President elect, that would have taken that kind of an approach". Vilsack has taken a moderate position, siding at times with those favoring a shift of funding in the agriculture budget from traditional subsidies to new kinds of supports for farmers that improve soil and water management. No matter what happens in the future&all the way from an abandoned child to top gun at the USDA&that's impressive.