Reports indicate that former Iowa Governor Tom Vilsack will be nominated as the next Secretary of Agriculture on Wednesday. Considered an early front-runner for the position, Vilsack told the Des Moines Register last month that he would not be the nominee and had not interviewed with the Obama transition team.
According to the Associated Press, sources close to the Obama Administration speaking on the condition of anonymity confirmed that Vilsack will be nominated as the next Secretary of Agriculture Wednesday afternoon.
Senate Ag Committee Chairman Tom Harkin, D-Iowa and his colleague Senator Charles Grassley, R-Iowa, both voiced their approval of the selection of Vilsack. National Farmers Union President Tom Buis also weighed in on the pick.
"I think Gov. Vilsack is a great choice and I look forward to working with him," Buis said. "Being from Iowa, Gov. Vilsack has an understanding of the challenges and opportunities that exist in rural America."