Vilsack named Secretary of Agriculture

This week Obama named former Iowa governor Tom Vilsack as Agriculture Secretary, upsetting many sustainable food advocates, whose efforts to petition the President-Elect for a 'Secretary of Food', through sites such as Food Democracy Now! and Food Declaration, seem to have had little effect. Many are concerned that Vilsack, a trial lawyer, doesn't "come from the farm", and that his history with agribusiness (specifically Monsanto) and strong advocacy for corn-based ethanol energy will not bode well for a new era of food policy. Journalist and author Michael Pollen, who recently wrote an open-letter to the President-Elect concerning the future of food and it's should-be importance to the administration, gave his views of the recent pick on NPR:

"I was very disappointed in that news conference," he said, "not to hear Vilsack use the word 'food' — or 'eaters.' And the interests of everybody except eaters was discussed: farmers, ranchers, people concerned about the land."

And in regards to Vilsack's support of corn-based ethanol production, Pollan had this to say:

"It's the embrace of corn-based ethanol that has driven up all food prices. It's not making agriculture more sustainable."

Despite these criticisms, there are some who believe that Vilsack will rise to the occasion and that unconventional times will necessitate unconventional measures, no matter what Vilsack's record shows. Let's hope so.

Interesting reads:
"Maybe Vilsack Won't Suck" - The Huffington Post
"Vilsack in Perspective" - Grist (long time Iowa organic farmer and food activist, Denise O'Brien)
"Obama's 'Secretary of Food' - Nicholas Kristof for the NYT

**Above photo is from the Seattle Post Intelligencer