Vilsack named to lead U.S.D.A.

President-elect Barack Obama held a press conference today to nominate former Iowa governor Tom Vilsack as Secretary of Agriculture. Mr. Vilsack headed governor groups focusing on biotechnology, ethanol and Midwestern issues, and he eventually led the Democratic Governors Association. He also headed the Democratic Leadership Council, a group characterized as "moderate leaning" that was prominent under former President Bill Clinton. Since ending his presidential bid, Mr. Vilsack has held a number of positions, including one at Iowa State University’s Biosafety Institute. There he had a role in analyzing the risks and benefits of agricultural (plant and animal) biotechnology.