Editor’s note: Associations representing the produce industry joined more than 100 other agriculture groups in urging leadership of the Senate Committee on Agriculture, Nutrition and Forestry to confirm former Agriculture Secretary Tom Vilsack to lead the USDA again. The letter was sent to Debbie Stabenow, D-Mich., chairwoman of the committee, and John Boozman, R-Ark., ranking member of the committee.
Dear Chairwoman Stabenow and Ranking Member Boozman:
The undersigned food and agriculture trade associations respectfully urge confirmation of the Honorable Thomas Vilsack to serve as Secretary of Agriculture.
Our associations represent the vast majority of the food and agriculture sector that is responsible for roughly one-fifth of the country’s economic activity, directly supporting more than 23 million jobs — constituting nearly 15 percent of total U.S. employment.
Secretary Vilsack understands and embraces as USDA’s mission the advancement of U.S. food and agriculture for the benefit of all in the U.S. and countless consumers beyond our shores. We endorse the nomination of Secretary Vilsack not just because of his previous outstanding eight-year tenure in the post during the Obama Administration, but more importantly because of his vision for meeting the substantial current challenges of food and agriculture.
Secretary Vilsack is ready to lead the peoples’ department and American food and agriculture broadly to meet environmental challenges, enhance diversity and inclusion, strengthen food security, and build rural prosperity through expanded trade and development of the bioeconomy, all with broad consumer benefits.
Please feel free to call upon any of the undersigned associations to expand upon our rationale for supporting the nomination of Secretary Vilsack. Thank you for your consideration of our views.
Produce groups that signed the letter include:
- California Fresh Fruit Association
- California Table Grape Commission
- Florida Tomato Exchange
- Fresh Produce Association of the Americas
- Michigan Apple Association
- National Potato Council
- Produce Marketing Association
- U.S. Apple Association
- United Fresh Produce Association
- Washington Apple Commission
