WASHINGTON – News reports today indicate that President-elect Biden is considering appointing former Agriculture Secretary Tom Vilsack to return as head of the USDA. In response, Food & Water Watch Policy Director Mitch Jones issued the following statement:
“Tom Vilsack has a long and detailed record on food and agriculture – a record that clearly demonstrates why he would be a very bad pick to lead the USDA. Much like Senator Heitkamp, Vilsack has made a career of catering to the whims of corporate agriculture giants – some of whom he has gone to work for – while failing to fight for struggling family farmers at every turn. America needs an agriculture secretary that will finally prioritize sustainable family farming and national food security over corporate profits. Tom Vilsack has proven he will not be the Agriculture leader we need.”
Food & Water Watch, along with a broad coalition of farm, environmental, food safety and animal welfare organizations, recently endorsed Rep. Marcia Fudge (D-OH) to be the next Agriculture secretary.