Soon-to-be-former Ag Secretary Tom Vilsack will join team dairy after he leaves his position as secretary of the U.S. Department of Agriculture.
As Politico reports, Vilsack will become president and CEO of the U.S. Dairy Export Council.
Agri-Pulse reported last Monday that Tom Suber, who retired at the end of the year as president of the organization, said Vilsack would be taking on the role after he leaves the USDA.
In an email, Vilsack noted that there is a "lot of speculation going around these days," but said he would have nothing to say about "life after the administration" until he leaves his post.
Vilsack, who is a lawyer, is one of the longest serving agriculture secretaries in history, having served all eight years of the Obama presidency.
According to Politico, the U.S. Dairy Export Council maintains an office in Arlington, Va., and works to expand market access for U.S. dairy products abroad.
Agri-Pulse reports that It is funded by checkoff revenue to track and promote trade in American dairy products and ingredients.
AgWeb reports that on the eve of his departure, Vilsack is leaving the following “wish list” of things he would like to see the incoming USDA leader accomplish:
- Vilsack would like Congress to lift some restrictions which currently limits USDA’s use of Commodity Credit Corporation (CCC) for emergency financial assistance to farmers.
- He’d also like to see implementation of the GMO labeling law President Obama signed in July.
- Vilsack wants the next administration to modify safety net programs, such as the Dairy Margin Protection Program.
