Senate Confirms Tom Vilsack As Secretary Of Agriculture
The U.S. Senate has voted 92-7 to confirm Tom Vilsack to serve as U.S. Secretary of Agriculture in the U.S. Department of Agriculture (USDA). Vilsack was nominated to the role on Dec. 8 by then President-Elect Joe Biden. Vilsack previously served as USDA Secretary under the Obama administration.
At the time of Vilsack’s nomination, the U.S. Hemp Roundtable issued a statement supporting the nomination.
“Vilsack is a long-time champion of hemp, and we cherished our strong working relationship during his previous stint in that position,” said Jonathan Miller, general counsel for the U.S. Hemp Roundtable. “We are incredibly optimistic that he will help provide the leadership and clarity necessary to unlock opportunity in the hemp industry.”
The National Industrial Hemp Council met with Vilsack in January and issue the following statement.
“As we continue to lead the industry as the only D.C.-based hemp trade association, we felt it was important to update Acting Secretary Kevin Shea on a number of issues including consumer safety and climate smart agriculture. After today’s meeting, we’re confident that Secretary-designee Vilsack will be fully briefed on the issues facing the hemp industry. We urge the U.S. Senate to swiftly confirm Secretary-designee Vilsack’s nomination.”
The Senate Agriculture Committee held a hearing on Secretary Vilsack’s nomination on February 2, 2021, and favorably reported him out of the Committee with bipartisan support.
