by Christine Hall
January 13, 2009

Washington, D.C., January 13, 2008—President-elect Obama’s choice for Agriculture Secretary has a troubling record on agriculture and consumer issues, according to an expert from the Competitive Enterprise Institute.  The Senate Committee on Agriculture, Nutrition and Forestry will hold a confirmation hearing on Wednesday, January 14, on former Iowa Governor Tom Vilsack’s fitness to be Secretary of Agriculture. 

Statement by CEI Senior Fellow Gregory Conko on Tom Vilsack: 

Governor Vilsack has supported modest reforms for America’s bloated farm subsidy programs, including limitations on farm program payments and reducing subsidies to the largest farms.  He has also shown some willingness to stand up against the environmental movement’s radical wing in support of American agriculture—in particular, through his modest support for food biotechnology.  Unfortunately, Governor Vilsack’s record reveals a politician more interested in promoting farmers than the American public.

As Governor of Iowa, Mr. Vilsack was a leading promoter of the ethanol mandate that forces Americans to subsidize the production of inefficient fuels made from Iowa corn.  He also supported changes in livestock market regulations that would limit the efficiencies gained from vertical integration of farmers, ranchers, and meatpackers.

Even his support for food biotechnology has not been consistent, as Governor Vilsack has promoted organic agriculture by attempting to hamstring conventional farmers who choose biotech crops.  He has, for example, expressed support for restrictions on where biotech crops could be grown and how they should be shipped and labeled.  He has also expressed support for a “precautionary” approval system for new biotech crop varieties in order to prevent erosion of markets for organic and other non-biotech foods.  This is despite the widely held view of the scientific community that biotech crops and foods are arguably safer for consumers and the environment than organic foods, and that biotech crop varieties are already subject to unwarranted restrictions in the US and abroad.

In short, Governor Vilsack has a reputation as the American farmer’s best friend.  However, a closer look at the policies he supports suggests that may not be true.  And further more, he may be the American consumer’s worst enemy.