Vilsack, T Gov

<p>=</p><div><font face="Times New Roman" size="4">=</font></div><div><font face="Times New Roman" size="4">an 221</font></div><div><font face="Times New Roman" size="4">
</font></div><div><p style="color: rgb(49, 49, 49); font-family: Cabin, sans-serif; font-size: 17px; background-color: rgb(255, 255, 255);">Sen. Bernie Sanders on Tuesday was the lone progressive to vote against Tom Vilsack reprising his role as secretary of agriculture, citing concerns that progressive advocacy groups have been raising since even before President Joe Biden officially nominated the former Obama administration appointee.</p><p style="color: rgb(49, 49, 49); font-family: Cabin, sans-serif; font-size: 17px; background-color: rgb(255, 255, 255);">The Senate <a href="https://www.senate.gov/legislative/LIS/roll_call_lists/roll_call_vote_cfm.cfm?congress=117&session=1&vote=00063" rel="noopener noreferrer" target="blank" style="color: rgb(11, 13, 101); text-decoration-line: none; opacity: 1; transition: color 0.25s ease 0s, background 0.25s ease 0s, opacity 0.25s ease 0s;">voted</a> 92-7 to confirm Vilsack, with Sanders (I-Vt.) and six Republicans opposing his appointment. Sen. Jeanne Shaheen (D-N.H.) was the only member who did not vote.</p><p style="color: rgb(49, 49, 49); font-family: Cabin, sans-serif; font-size: 17px; background-color: rgb(255, 255, 255);">In a statement on his decision, Sanders first said that "I have known Tom Vilsack for many years and look forward to working with him as our new secretary of agriculture."</p><p style="color: rgb(49, 49, 49); font-family: Cabin, sans-serif; font-size: 17px; background-color: rgb(255, 255, 255);">"I opposed his confirmation today because at a time when corporate consolidation of agriculture is rampant and family farms are being decimated, we need a secretary who is prepared to vigorously take on corporate power in the industry," Sanders explained. "I heard from many family farmers in Vermont and around the country who feel that is not what Tom did when he last served in this job."</p><p style="color: rgb(49, 49, 49); font-family: Cabin, sans-serif; font-size: 17px; background-color: rgb(255, 255, 255);"><em>The Hill</em> <a href="https://thehill.com/homenews/senate/540137-sanders-votes-against-biden-usda-nominee-vilsack" rel="noopener noreferrer" target="blank" style="color: rgb(11, 13, 101); text-decoration-line: none; opacity: 1; transition: color 0.25s ease 0s, background 0.25s ease 0s, opacity 0.25s ease 0s;">reports</a> Sanders made similar remarks about Vilsack to journalists after the vote, saying that "I think he'll be fine, but not as strong as I would like."</p><p style="color: rgb(49, 49, 49); font-family: Cabin, sans-serif; font-size: 17px; background-color: rgb(255, 255, 255);">The progressive group RootsAction praised Sanders on Twitter for taking a stand against Biden's pick to run the U.S. Department of Agriculture (USDA)....</p></div><div><p><font face="Times New Roman" size="4"></font></p></div><p>=</p><p><a href="https://theintercept.com/2020/12/11/democrat-tom-vilsack-usda-secretary-farms/">https://theintercept.com/2020/12/11/democrat-tom-vilsack-usda-secretary-farms/</a></p><p>
</p><p>what's wrong w/ dems =</p><p>===</p>

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<a href="http://www.motherjones.com/blue-marble/2015/03/tom-vilsack-2015-dietary-guidelines-sustainability-environment">http://www.motherjones.com/blue-marble/2015/03/tom-vilsack-2015-dietary-guidelines-sustainability-environment</a></p>

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Should the new Dietary Guidelines—the advice the federal government issues every five years on what constitutes a healthy diet—include recommendations about what makes for a healthy planet? The meat industry sure doesn't think so.

The industry<span class="Apple-converted-space"> </span><a href="http://www.motherjones.com/blue-marble/2015/02/salt-sugar-chicken-what-look-upcoming-dietary-guidelines-report" target="blank" style=" color: rgb(0, 0, 0); text-decoration: none; border-bottom-width: 1px; border-bottom-style: dotted; border-bottom-color: rgb(0, 0, 0);">started flipping out</a><span class="Apple-converted-space"> </span>when it saw some of the language in the Dietary Guidelines Advisory Committee's February<span class="Apple-converted-space"> </span><a href="http://www.health.gov/dietaryguidelines/2015-scientific-report/PDFs/Scientific-Report-of-the-2015-Dietary-Guidelines-Advisory-Committee.pdf" target="blank" style=" color: rgb(0, 0, 0); text-decoration: none; border-bottom-width: 1px; border-bottom-style: dotted; border-bottom-color: rgb(0, 0, 0);">report</a>: "Consistent evidence indicates that, in general, a dietary pattern that is higher in plant-based foods...and lower in animal-based foods is more health promoting and is associated with a lesser environmental impact (GHG emissions and energy, land, and water use) than is the current average US diet."

Big Meat takes issue with two main things:

1) That the committee's scientists dared to comment on environmental sustainability issues in a nutrition report.

2) That the report said (elsewhere) that a healthy diet should be lower in red and processed meats.

The<span class="Apple-converted-space"> </span><a href="https://www.meatinstitute.org/index.php?ht=d/sp/i/204/pid/204" target="blank" style=" color: rgb(0, 0, 0); text-decoration: none; border-bottom-width: 1px; border-bottom-style: dotted; border-bottom-color: rgb(0, 0, 0);">North American Meat Institute</a>, a massive trade association, retaliated this week with a "Hands Off My Hot Dog" petition on<span class="Apple-converted-space"> </span><a href="https://www.change.org/p/tom-vilsack-sylvia-burwell-hands-off-my-hot-dog-inject-common-sense-in-2015-dietary-guidelines" target="blank" style=" color: rgb(0, 0, 0); text-decoration: none; border-bottom-width: 1px; border-bottom-style: dotted; border-bottom-color: rgb(0, 0, 0);">Change.org,</a><span class="Apple-converted-space"> </span>a flurry of tweets about<a href="https://twitter.com/MeatInstitute/status/576413462722646017" target="_blank" style=" color: rgb(0, 0, 0); text-decoration: none; border-bottom-width: 1px; border-bottom-style: dotted; border-bottom-color: rgb(0, 0, 0);">saving the Ruben sandwich</a>, and this short film, starring plastic-wrapped packages of raw beef:...

But the video does not try to refute the notion that meat's environmental footprint is cause for concern—the UN<span class="Apple-converted-space"> </span><a href="http://www.fao.org/docrep/018/i3437e/i3437e.pdf" target="_blank" style=" color: rgb(0, 0, 0); text-decoration: none; border-bottom-width: 1px; border-bottom-style: dotted; border-bottom-color: rgb(0, 0, 0);">argues,</a><span class="Apple-converted-space"> </span>for instance, that livestock produce 14.5 percent of global greenhouse gas emissions. The Dietary Guidelines' committee points out that producing one calorie of beef requires 18 times as much fuel as producing one calorie of grain.

It's no coincidence that the committee chose to flag the carbon footprint of our food: The guidelines are ultimately about people's relationship with food, and the deterioration of the environment's health is a blow to our food security. "Meeting current and future food needs," the committee notes, will depend on changing the way people eat and developing agricultural and production practices "that reduce environmental impacts and conserve resources."</p>

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<div>huffpo tag: <a href="http://www.huffingtonpost.com/tag/agriculture-secretary-tom-vilsack/">http://www.huffingtonpost.com/tag/agriculture-secretary-tom-vilsack/</a></div>

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<div>http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Tom_Vilsack</div>

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<p style=" margin: 0.5em 0px; line-height: 22.399999618530273px; color: rgb(37, 37, 37); font-size: 14px; background-color: rgb(255, 255, 255);"><b>Thomas James</b> "<b>Tom</b>" <b>Vilsack</b> (<span class="nowrap" style=" white-space: nowrap;"><span title="Representation in the International Phonetic Alphabet (IPA)" class="IPA"><a href="http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Help:IPA_for_English" title="Help:IPA for English" style=" text-decoration: none !important; color: rgb(11, 0, 128); background: none;">/</a></span><span class="IPA nopopups"><a href="http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Help:IPA_for_English#Key" title="Help:IPA for English" style=" text-decoration: none !important; color: rgb(11, 0, 128); background: none;"><span title="/ˈ/ primary stress follows" style=" border-bottom-width: 1px; border-bottom-style: dotted;">ˈ</span></a><a href="http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Help:IPA_for_English#Key" title="Help:IPA for English" style=" text-decoration: none !important; color: rgb(11, 0, 128); background: none;"><span title="'v' in 'vie'" style=" border-bottom-width: 1px; border-bottom-style: dotted;">v</span></a><a href="http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Help:IPA_for_English#Key" title="Help:IPA for English" style=" text-decoration: none !important; color: rgb(11, 0, 128); background: none;"><span title="/ɪ/ short 'i' in 'bid'" style=" border-bottom-width: 1px; border-bottom-style: dotted;">ɪ</span></a><a href="http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Help:IPA_for_English#Key" title="Help:IPA for English" style=" text-decoration: none !important; color: rgb(11, 0, 128); background: none;"><span title="'l' in 'lie'" style=" border-bottom-width: 1px; border-bottom-style: dotted;">l</span></a><a href="http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Help:IPA_for_English#Key" title="Help:IPA for English" style=" text-decoration: none !important; color: rgb(11, 0, 128); background: none;"><span title="'s' in 'sigh'" style=" border-bottom-width: 1px; border-bottom-style: dotted;">s</span></a><a href="http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Help:IPA_for_English#Key" title="Help:IPA for English" style=" text-decoration: none !important; color: rgb(11, 0, 128); background: none;"><span title="/æ/ short 'a' in 'bad'" style=" border-bottom-width: 1px; border-bottom-style: dotted;">æ</span></a><a href="http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Help:IPA_for_English#Key" title="Help:IPA for English" style=" text-decoration: none !important; color: rgb(11, 0, 128); background: none;"><span title="'k' in 'kind'" style=" border-bottom-width: 1px; border-bottom-style: dotted;">k</span></a></span><span title="Representation in the International Phonetic Alphabet (IPA)" class="IPA"><a href="http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Help:IPA_for_English" title="Help:IPA for English" style=" text-decoration: none !important; color: rgb(11, 0, 128); background: none;">/</a></span></span>; born December 13, 1950) is an <a href="http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/United_States" title="United States" style=" text-decoration: none; color: rgb(11, 0, 128); background: none;">American</a> politician who has served as the <a href="http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/United_States_Secretary_of_Agriculture" title="United States Secretary of Agriculture" style=" text-decoration: none; color: rgb(11, 0, 128); background: none;">United States Secretary of Agriculture</a> since 2009. A member of the <a href="http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Democratic_Party_(United_States)" title="Democratic Party (United States)" style=" text-decoration: none; color: rgb(11, 0, 128); background: none;">Democratic Party</a>, Vilsack served as the <a href="http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/List_of_Governors_of_Iowa" title="List of Governors of Iowa" style=" text-decoration: none; color: rgb(11, 0, 128); background: none;">40th Governor</a> of <a href="http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Iowa" title="Iowa" style=" text-decoration: none; color: rgb(11, 0, 128); background: none;">Iowa</a> from 1999 to 2007.

On November 30, 2006, he formally launched his candidacy for the Democratic Party's nomination for <a href="http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/President_of_the_United_States" title="President of the United States" style=" text-decoration: none; color: rgb(11, 0, 128); background: none;">President of the United States</a> in the <a href="http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/United_States_presidential_election,_2008" title="United States presidential election, 2008" style=" text-decoration: none; color: rgb(11, 0, 128); background: none;">2008 election</a>, but ended his bid on February 23, 2007.<sup id="cite_ref-quit_1-0" class="reference" style=" line-height: 1; unicode-bidi: -webkit-isolate;"><a href="http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Tom_Vilsack#cite_note-quit-1" style=" text-decoration: none; color: rgb(11, 0, 128); white-space: nowrap; background: none;">[1]</a></sup>

<a href="http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Barack_Obama" title="Barack Obama" style=" text-decoration: none; color: rgb(11, 0, 128); background: none;">Barack Obama</a> announced Vilsack's selection to be Secretary of Agriculture under his administration on December 17, 2008. Vilsack's nomination was confirmed by the<a href="http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/United_States_Senate" title="United States Senate" style=" text-decoration: none; color: rgb(11, 0, 128); background: none;">United States Senate</a> by unanimous consent on January 20, 2009.

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<h2 style=" color: black; margin: 1em 0px 0.25em; overflow: hidden; padding: 0px; border: none; font-size: 13px; display: inline; line-height: 1.3; background: none;">Contents</h2>

<li class="toclevel-1 tocsection-1" style=" margin-bottom: 0.1em;"><a href="http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Tom_Vilsack#Early_life.2C_education_and_career" style=" text-decoration: none; color: rgb(11, 0, 128); background: none;"><span class="tocnumber">1</span> <span class="toctext">Early life, education and career</span></a></li>

<li class="toclevel-1 tocsection-2" style=" margin-bottom: 0.1em;"><a href="http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Tom_Vilsack#Early_political_career" style=" text-decoration: none; color: rgb(11, 0, 128); background: none;"><span class="tocnumber">2</span> <span class="toctext">Early political career</span></a></li>

<li class="toclevel-1 tocsection-3" style=" margin-bottom: 0.1em;"><a href="http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Tom_Vilsack#Governor_of_Iowa" style=" text-decoration: none; color: rgb(11, 0, 128); background: none;"><span class="tocnumber">3</span> <span class="toctext">Governor of Iowa</span></a></li>

<li class="toclevel-1 tocsection-4" style=" margin-bottom: 0.1em;"><a href="http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Tom_Vilsack#2008_U.S._presidential_campaign" style=" text-decoration: none; color: rgb(11, 0, 128); background: none;"><span class="tocnumber">4</span> <span class="toctext">2008 U.S. presidential campaign</span></a>

<li class="toclevel-2 tocsection-5" style=" margin-bottom: 0.1em;"><a href="http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Tom_Vilsack#Views_on_Iraq" style=" text-decoration: none; color: rgb(11, 0, 128); background: none;"><span class="tocnumber">4.1</span> <span class="toctext">Views on Iraq</span></a></li>

<li class="toclevel-2 tocsection-6" style=" margin-bottom: 0.1em;"><a href="http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Tom_Vilsack#Views_on_energy_security" style=" text-decoration: none; color: rgb(11, 0, 128); background: none;"><span class="tocnumber">4.2</span> <span class="toctext">Views on energy security</span></a></li>

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<li class="toclevel-1 tocsection-7" style=" margin-bottom: 0.1em;"><a href="http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Tom_Vilsack#Secretary_of_Agriculture" style=" text-decoration: none; color: rgb(11, 0, 128); background: none;"><span class="tocnumber">5</span> <span class="toctext">Secretary of Agriculture</span></a></li>

<li class="toclevel-1 tocsection-8" style=" margin-bottom: 0.1em;"><a href="http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Tom_Vilsack#Electoral_history" style=" text-decoration: none; color: rgb(11, 0, 128); background: none;"><span class="tocnumber">6</span> <span class="toctext">Electoral history</span></a></li>

<li class="toclevel-1 tocsection-9" style=" margin-bottom: 0.1em;"><a href="http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Tom_Vilsack#Personal_life" style=" text-decoration: none; color: rgb(11, 0, 128); background: none;"><span class="tocnumber">7</span> <span class="toctext">Personal life</span></a></li>

<li class="toclevel-1 tocsection-10" style=" margin-bottom: 0.1em;"><a href="http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Tom_Vilsack#References" style=" text-decoration: none; color: rgb(11, 0, 128); background: none;"><span class="tocnumber">8</span> <span class="toctext">References</span></a></li>

<li class="toclevel-1 tocsection-11" style=" margin-bottom: 0.1em;"><a href="http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Tom_Vilsack#External_links" style=" text-decoration: none; color: rgb(11, 0, 128); background: none;"><span class="tocnumber">9</span> <span class="toctext">External links</span></a></li>

</ul>

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<p style=" margin: 0.5em 0px; line-height: 22.399999618530273px; color: rgb(37, 37, 37); font-size: 14px; background-color: rgb(255, 255, 255);">On December 17, 2008, then-President-elect <a href="http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Barack_Obama" title="Barack Obama" style=" text-decoration: none; color: rgb(11, 0, 128); background: none;">Barack Obama</a> announced his choice of Vilsack as the nominee to be the 30th <a href="http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/United_States_Secretary_of_Agriculture" title="United States Secretary of Agriculture" style=" text-decoration: none; color: rgb(11, 0, 128); background: none;">Secretary of Agriculture</a>.<sup id="cite_ref-16" class="reference" style=" line-height: 1; unicode-bidi: -webkit-isolate;"><a href="http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Tom_Vilsack#cite_note-16" style=" text-decoration: none; color: rgb(11, 0, 128); white-space: nowrap; background: none;">[16]</a></sup> Vilsack has governed a largely agricultural state as did the previous two Secretaries of Agriculture, <a href="http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Mike_Johanns" title="Mike Johanns" style=" text-decoration: none; color: rgb(11, 0, 128); background: none;">Mike Johanns</a> (who is currently a United States Senator from Nebraska) (2005–2007) and <a href="http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Ed_Schafer" title="Ed Schafer" style=" text-decoration: none; color: rgb(11, 0, 128); background: none;">Ed Schafer</a> (2007–2009).

The Senate confirmed Vilsack's nomination for the position by unanimous consent on January 20, 2009.<sup id="cite_ref-17" class="reference" style=" line-height: 1; unicode-bidi: -webkit-isolate;"><a href="http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Tom_Vilsack#cite_note-17" style=" text-decoration: none; color: rgb(11, 0, 128); white-space: nowrap; background: none;">[17]</a></sup>

Reaction to Vilsack's nomination from agricultural groups was largely positive and included endorsements from the <a href="http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Corn_Refiners_Association" title="Corn Refiners Association" style=" text-decoration: none; color: rgb(11, 0, 128); background: none;">Corn Refiners Association</a>, the <a href="http://en.wikipedia.org/w/index.php?title=National_Grain_and_Feed_Association&action=edit&redlink=1" class="new" title="National Grain and Feed Association (page does not exist)" style=" text-decoration: none; color: rgb(165, 88, 88); background: none;">National Grain and Feed Association</a>, the <a href="http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/National_Farmers_Union_(United_States)" title="National Farmers Union (United States)" style=" text-decoration: none; color: rgb(11, 0, 128); background: none;">National Farmers Union</a>, the <a href="http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/American_Farm_Bureau_Federation" title="American Farm Bureau Federation" style=" text-decoration: none; color: rgb(11, 0, 128); background: none;">American Farm Bureau Federation</a>, and the <a href="http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Environmental_Defense_Fund" title="Environmental Defense Fund" style=" text-decoration: none; color: rgb(11, 0, 128); background: none;">Environmental Defense Fund</a>.<sup id="cite_ref-18" class="reference" style=" line-height: 1; unicode-bidi: -webkit-isolate;"><a href="http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Tom_Vilsack#cite_note-18" style=" text-decoration: none; color: rgb(11, 0, 128); white-space: nowrap; background: none;">[18]</a></sup> Opposition to the nomination came from the <a href="http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Organic_Consumers_Association" title="Organic Consumers Association" style=" text-decoration: none; color: rgb(11, 0, 128); background: none;">Organic Consumers Association</a>, which outlined in a November 2008 report several reasons why it believed Vilsack would be a poor choice for the position, particularly as energy and environmental reforms were a key point of the Obama campaign.<sup id="cite_ref-19" class="reference" style=" line-height: 1; unicode-bidi: -webkit-isolate;"><a href="http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Tom_Vilsack#cite_note-19" style=" text-decoration: none; color: rgb(11, 0, 128); white-space: nowrap; background: none;">[19]</a></sup>

<span style=" background-color: rgb(255, 255, 102);">Vilsack appointed</span></span><span style=" background-color: rgb(255, 255, 102);"><span style=" font-size: 14px;"> </span><a href="http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Shirley_Sherrod" title="Shirley Sherrod" style=" font-size: 14px; text-decoration: none; color: rgb(11, 0, 128); background-image: none; background-attachment: initial; background-size: initial; background-origin: initial; background-clip: initial; background-position: initial; background-repeat: initial;">Shirley Sherrod</a><span style=" font-size: 14px;"> </span></span><span style=" font-size: 14px;"><span style=" background-color: rgb(255, 255, 102);">as the Georgia Director of Rural Development</span><span style=" background-color: rgb(255, 255, 255);">, saying that she would be an "important advocate on behalf of rural communities."</span></span><sup id="cite_ref-22" class="reference" style=" line-height: 1; unicode-bidi: -webkit-isolate; background-color: rgb(255, 255, 255);"><a href="http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Tom_Vilsack#cite_note-22" style=" text-decoration: none; color: rgb(11, 0, 128); white-space: nowrap; background: none;">[22]</a></sup><span style=" font-size: 14px; background-color: rgb(255, 255, 255);"> Months after the appointment, Vilsack forced her to resign based on accusations of considering race in the handling of her job responsibilities at a private advocacy firm in 1986.</span><sup id="cite_ref-23" class="reference" style=" line-height: 1; unicode-bidi: -webkit-isolate; background-color: rgb(255, 255, 255);"><a href="http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Tom_Vilsack#cite_note-23" style=" text-decoration: none; color: rgb(11, 0, 128); white-space: nowrap; background: none;">[23]</a></sup><span style=" font-size: 14px; background-color: rgb(255, 255, 255);">Subsequent reports claim that he overreacted to a video segment taken out of context, and the secretary expressed his "deep regret" to Sherrod in acting hastily.</span><sup id="cite_ref-24" class="reference" style=" line-height: 1; unicode-bidi: -webkit-isolate; background-color: rgb(255, 255, 255);"><a href="http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Tom_Vilsack#cite_note-24" style=" text-decoration: none; color: rgb(11, 0, 128); white-space: nowrap; background: none;">[24]</a></sup><span style=" font-size: 14px; background-color: rgb(255, 255, 255);"> Vilsack was also a prime mover in enabling the "Pigford" scandal, a massive fraud involving billions in payouts to minority supplicants who falsely claimed Agriculture department bias in the awarding of farm loans.</span><sup id="cite_ref-25" class="reference" style=" line-height: 1; unicode-bidi: -webkit-isolate; background-color: rgb(255, 255, 255);"><a href="http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Tom_Vilsack#cite_note-25" style=" text-decoration: none; color: rgb(11, 0, 128); white-space: nowrap; background: none;">[25]</a></sup><span style=" background-color: rgb(255, 255, 255);">Among those reasons the report cites: Vilsack has repeatedly demonstrated a preference for large industrial farms and </span><a href="http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Genetically_modified_crop" title="Genetically modified crop" class="mw-redirect" style=" text-decoration: none; color: rgb(11, 0, 128); background-image: none; background-attachment: initial; background-color: initial; background-size: initial; background-origin: initial; background-clip: initial; background-position: initial; background-repeat: initial;">genetically modified crops</a><span style=" background-color: rgb(255, 255, 255);">;</span><sup id="cite_ref-20" class="reference" style=" line-height: 1; unicode-bidi: -webkit-isolate; background-color: rgb(255, 255, 255);"><a href="http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Tom_Vilsack#cite_note-20" style=" text-decoration: none; color: rgb(11, 0, 128); white-space: nowrap; background: none;">[20]</a></sup><span style=" background-color: rgb(255, 255, 255);"> as Iowa state governor, he originated the seed pre-emption bill in 2005, effectively blocking local communities from regulating where genetically engineered crops would be grown; additionally, Vilsack was the founder and former chair of the Governor's Biotechnology Partnership, and was named Governor of the Year by the </span><a href="http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Biotechnology_Industry_Organization" title="Biotechnology Industry Organization" style=" text-decoration: none; color: rgb(11, 0, 128); background-image: none; background-attachment: initial; background-color: initial; background-size: initial; background-origin: initial; background-clip: initial; background-position: initial; background-repeat: initial;">Biotechnology Industry Organization</a><span style=" background-color: rgb(255, 255, 255);">, an industry </span><a href="http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Lobbying" title="Lobbying" style=" text-decoration: none; color: rgb(11, 0, 128); background-image: none; background-attachment: initial; background-color: initial; background-size: initial; background-origin: initial; background-clip: initial; background-position: initial; background-repeat: initial;">lobbying</a><span style=" background-color: rgb(255, 255, 255);">group.</span><sup id="cite_ref-21" class="reference" style=" line-height: 1; unicode-bidi: -webkit-isolate; background-color: rgb(255, 255, 255);"><a href="http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Tom_Vilsack#cite_note-21" style=" text-decoration: none; color: rgb(11, 0, 128); white-space: nowrap; background: none;">[21]</a></sup>

Vilsack approved a 15-cent per tree tax on <a href="http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Christmas_tree" title="Christmas tree" style=" text-decoration: none; color: rgb(11, 0, 128); background: none;">Christmas tree</a> sellers, as a result of over 3-years of <a href="http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Lobbying" title="Lobbying" style=" text-decoration: none; color: rgb(11, 0, 128); background: none;">lobbying</a> from the Christmas tree industry. The Christmas tree tax is expected to raise approximately $4 million from holiday revelers. The purpose of the tax is to fund an advertising program by the U.S. Department of Agriculture promoting the sale of real Christmas trees.

On January 24, 2012, Secretary Vilsack was named the <a href="http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Designated_survivor" title="Designated survivor" style=" text-decoration: none; color: rgb(11, 0, 128); background: none;">designated survivor</a> by President Obama during the President's <a href="http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/State_of_the_Union_address" title="State of the Union address" class="mw-redirect" style=" text-decoration: none; color: rgb(11, 0, 128); background: none;">State of the Union address</a>.<sup id="cite_ref-26" class="reference" style=" line-height: 1; unicode-bidi: -webkit-isolate;"><a href="http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Tom_Vilsack#cite_note-26" style=" text-decoration: none; color: rgb(11, 0, 128); white-space: nowrap; background: none;">[26]</a></sup>

On March 28, 2012, Vilsack came out publicly defending the use of "<a href="http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Pink_slime" title="Pink slime" style=" text-decoration: none; color: rgb(11, 0, 128); background: none;">pink slime</a>" added in <a href="http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Ground_beef" title="Ground beef" style=" text-decoration: none; color: rgb(11, 0, 128); background: none;">ground beef</a>.<sup id="cite_ref-27" class="reference" style=" line-height: 1; unicode-bidi: -webkit-isolate;"><a href="http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Tom_Vilsack#cite_note-27" style=" text-decoration: none; color: rgb(11, 0, 128); white-space: nowrap; background: none;">[27]</a></sup>

At a <a href="http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Drake_University" title="Drake University" style=" text-decoration: none; color: rgb(11, 0, 128); background: none;">Drake University</a> forum on <a href="http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Climate_change" title="Climate change" style=" text-decoration: none; color: rgb(11, 0, 128); background: none;">climate change</a> April 22, 2014 Vilsack stated "agriculture tends to take the brunt of criticism about climate change, but the industry contributes only 9 percent of the greenhouse gases blamed for a warming planet" and that while there were "challenges globally in terms of agriculture and its contribution to greenhouse gas emissions that's not necessarily the case in the United States."<sup id="cite_ref-DM_28-0" class="reference" style=" line-height: 1; unicode-bidi: -webkit-isolate;"><a href="http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Tom_Vilsack#cite_note-DM-28" style=" text-decoration: none; color: rgb(11, 0, 128); white-space: nowrap; background: none;">[28]</a></sup></p>

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<div>http://www.sourcewatch.org/index.php/Tom_Vilsack

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<div>

<p style=" margin: 0.4em 0px 0.5em; line-height: 1.5em;"><b>Tom Vilsack</b>, the former <a href="http://www.sourcewatch.org/index.php/Democratic_Party" title="Democratic Party" class="mw-redirect" style=" text-decoration: none; color: rgb(11, 0, 128); background: none;">Democratic</a> governor of Iowa, announced his candidacy in late 2006, but backed out of the race on February 23, 2007.<sup id="cite_ref-1" class="reference" style=" line-height: 1em; unicode-bidi: -webkit-isolate;"><a href="http://www.sourcewatch.org/index.php/Tom_Vilsack#cite_note-1" style=" text-decoration: none; color: rgb(11, 0, 128); white-space: nowrap; background: none;">[1]</a></sup>

"MINNEAPOLIS (April 12, 2007) – The international law firm of <a href="http://www.sourcewatch.org/index.php?title=Dorsey_%26_Whitney&action=edit&redlink=1" class="new" title="Dorsey & Whitney (page does not exist)" style=" text-decoration: none; color: rgb(165, 88, 88); background: none;">Dorsey & Whitney</a> LLP today announced that Thomas J. Vilsack will join its Des Moines office on May 1, 2007. Vilsack served as Iowa governor from 1998 through 2006. In addition to a distinguished public service career as governor, Iowa state senator and the mayor of Mt. Pleasant, Iowa, Vilsack is a highly regarded litigator with more than 25 years of trial experience handling complex litigation and class actions with state-wide and national implications." <sup id="cite_ref-2" class="reference" style=" line-height: 1em; unicode-bidi: -webkit-isolate;"><a href="http://www.sourcewatch.org/index.php/Tom_Vilsack#cite_note-2" style=" text-decoration: none; color: rgb(11, 0, 128); white-space: nowrap; background: none;">[2]</a></sup></p>

<dd style=" line-height: 1.5em; margin-left: 1.6em; margin-bottom: 0.1em; margin-right: 0px;"><i>Main article: <a href="http://www.sourcewatch.org/index.php/U.S.presidential_election,2008" title="U.S. presidential election, 2008" style=" text-decoration: none; color: rgb(11, 0, 128); background: none;">U.S. presidential election, 2008</a></i></dd>

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<h2 style=" margin: 0px 0px 0.6em; overflow: hidden; padding: 0px; border: none; font-size: 12px; display: inline; background: none;">Contents</h2>

<li class="toclevel-1 tocsection-1" style=" margin-bottom: 0.1em;"><a href="http://www.sourcewatch.org/index.php/Tom_Vilsack#Resources_and_articles" style=" text-decoration: none; color: rgb(11, 0, 128); background: none;"><span class="tocnumber">1</span> <span class="toctext">Resources and articles</span></a></li>

<li class="toclevel-1 tocsection-2" style=" margin-bottom: 0.1em;"><a href="http://www.sourcewatch.org/index.php/Tom_Vilsack#References" style=" text-decoration: none; color: rgb(11, 0, 128); background: none;"><span class="tocnumber">2</span> <span class="toctext">References</span></a></li>

<li class="toclevel-1 tocsection-3" style=" margin-bottom: 0.1em;"><a href="http://www.sourcewatch.org/index.php/Tom_Vilsack#External_articles" style=" text-decoration: none; color: rgb(11, 0, 128); background: none;"><span class="tocnumber">3</span> <span class="toctext">External articles</span></a></li>

<li class="toclevel-1 tocsection-4" style=" margin-bottom: 0.1em;"><a href="http://www.sourcewatch.org/index.php/Tom_Vilsack#External_resources" style=" text-decoration: none; color: rgb(11, 0, 128); background: none;"><span class="tocnumber">4</span> <span class="toctext">External resources</span></a></li>

</ul>

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<h3 style=" margin: 0px 0px 0.3em; overflow: hidden; padding-top: 0.5em; padding-bottom: 0.17em; border-bottom-style: none; font-size: 17px; background: none;"><span class="mw-headline" id="Resources_and_articles">Resources and articles</span></h3>

<li id="cite_note-1" style=" margin-bottom: 0.1em;"><span class="mw-cite-backlink"><a href="http://www.sourcewatch.org/index.php/Tom_Vilsack#cite_ref-1" style=" text-decoration: none; color: rgb(11, 0, 128); background: none;"><span class="cite-accessibility-label" style=" top: -99999px; clip: rect(1px 1px 1px 1px); overflow: hidden; position: absolute !important; padding: 0px !important; border: 0px !important; height: 1px !important; width: 1px !important;">Jump up</span>↑</a></span> <span class="reference-text">Dan Balz, <a rel="nofollow" class="external text" href="http://www.washingtonpost.com/wp-dyn/content/article/2007/02/23/AR2007022300775.html" style=" text-decoration: none; color: rgb(102, 51, 102); padding-right: 13px; background: url(data:image/png;base64,iVBORw0KGgoAAAANSUhEUgAAAAoAAAAKCAYAAACNMs+9AAAAVElEQVR42n3PgQkAIAhEUXdqJ3dqJ3e6IoTPUSQcgj4EQ5IlUiLE0Jil3PECXhcHGBhZ8kg4hwxAu3MZeCGeyFnAXp4hqNQPnt7QL0nADpD6wHccLvnAKksq8iiaAAAAAElFTkSuQmCC) 100% 50% no-repeat;">"Vilsack, First Democrat In, Is Quickly Out. Former Iowa Governor Cites Financial Demands in Ending Bid for Presidency,"</a> <i>Washington Post</i>, February 24, 2007.</span></li>

<li id="cite_note-2" style=" margin-bottom: 0.1em;"><span class="mw-cite-backlink"><a href="http://www.sourcewatch.org/index.php/Tom_Vilsack#cite_ref-2" style=" text-decoration: none; color: rgb(11, 0, 128); background: none;"><span class="cite-accessibility-label" style=" top: -99999px; clip: rect(1px 1px 1px 1px); overflow: hidden; position: absolute !important; padding: 0px !important; border: 0px !important; height: 1px !important; width: 1px !important;">Jump up</span>↑</a></span> <span class="reference-text"><a rel="nofollow" class="external text" href="http://www.dorsey.com/news/news_detail.aspx?FlashNavID=news_search&id=253742803" style=" text-decoration: none; color: rgb(102, 51, 102); padding-right: 13px; background: url(data:image/png;base64,iVBORw0KGgoAAAANSUhEUgAAAAoAAAAKCAYAAACNMs+9AAAAVElEQVR42n3PgQkAIAhEUXdqJ3dqJ3e6IoTPUSQcgj4EQ5IlUiLE0Jil3PECXhcHGBhZ8kg4hwxAu3MZeCGeyFnAXp4hqNQPnt7QL0nADpD6wHccLvnAKksq8iiaAAAAAElFTkSuQmCC) 100% 50% no-repeat;">Former Iowa Governor Thomas J. Vilsack Joins Dorsey & Whitney</a>, Dorsey & Whitney, accessed January 22, 2008.</span></li>

</ol>

<li style=" margin-bottom: 0.1em;"><a href="http://www.sourcewatch.org/index.php/Terry_Michael" title="Terry Michael" style=" text-decoration: none; color: rgb(11, 0, 128); background: none;">Terry Michael</a>, <a rel="nofollow" class="external text" href="http://www.realclearpolitics.com/articles/2007/02/dog_ate_gov_vilsacks_homework.html" style=" text-decoration: none; color: rgb(102, 51, 102); padding-right: 13px; background: url(data:image/png;base64,iVBORw0KGgoAAAANSUhEUgAAAAoAAAAKCAYAAACNMs+9AAAAVElEQVR42n3PgQkAIAhEUXdqJ3dqJ3e6IoTPUSQcgj4EQ5IlUiLE0Jil3PECXhcHGBhZ8kg4hwxAu3MZeCGeyFnAXp4hqNQPnt7QL0nADpD6wHccLvnAKksq8iiaAAAAAElFTkSuQmCC) 100% 50% no-repeat;">"Dog Ate Gov. Vilsack's Homework,"</a> <i>RealClearPolitics</i>, February 24, 2007.</li>

</ul>

<li style=" margin-bottom: 0.1em;"><a rel="nofollow" class="external text" href="http://www.whereistand.com/TomVilsack" style=" text-decoration: none; color: rgb(102, 51, 102); padding-right: 13px; background: url(data:image/png;base64,iVBORw0KGgoAAAANSUhEUgAAAAoAAAAKCAYAAACNMs+9AAAAVElEQVR42n3PgQkAIAhEUXdqJ3dqJ3e6IoTPUSQcgj4EQ5IlUiLE0Jil3PECXhcHGBhZ8kg4hwxAu3MZeCGeyFnAXp4hqNQPnt7QL0nADpD6wHccLvnAKksq8iiaAAAAAElFTkSuQmCC) 100% 50% no-repeat;">Compare where Tom Vilsack stands to other 2008 presidential candidates</a> at whereIstand.com.</li>

</ul>

</div>

<div id="mw-normal-catlinks" class="mw-normal-catlinks"><a href="http://www.sourcewatch.org/index.php/Special:Categories" title="Special:Categories" style=" text-decoration: none; color: rgb(11, 0, 128); background: none;">Categories</a>: 

<li style=" margin: 0.125em 0px; display: inline-block; line-height: 1.25em; border-left-style: none; padding: 0px 0.5em 0px 0.25em; zoom: 1;"><a href="http://www.sourcewatch.org/index.php/Category:Politics_(U.S.)" title="Category:Politics (U.S.)" style=" text-decoration: none; color: rgb(11, 0, 128); background: none;">Politics (U.S.)</a></li>

<li style=" margin: 0.125em 0px; display: inline-block; line-height: 1.25em; border-left-width: 1px; border-left-style: solid; border-left-color: rgb(170, 170, 170); padding: 0px 0.5em; zoom: 1;"><a href="http://www.sourcewatch.org/index.php/Category:Elections_(U.S.)" title="Category:Elections (U.S.)" style=" text-decoration: none; color: rgb(11, 0, 128); background: none;">Elections (U.S.)</a></li>

</ul>

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<h1 style=" margin: 0px 0px 12px; padding: 0px; border: 0px; font-weight: inherit; font-family: georgia, serif; vertical-align: baseline; letter-spacing: -2px; line-height: 1; color: rgb(34, 34, 34); background-color: rgb(255, 255, 255);"><font size="3">Confronting Climate Change</font></h1>

<h2 class="subtitle" style=" margin: -3px 0px 5px; padding: 0px 0px 7px; border-top-width: 0px; border-right-width: 0px; border-left-width: 0px; border-bottom-style: none; font-weight: normal; font-family: arial, sans-serif; vertical-align: baseline; color: rgb(34, 34, 34); letter-spacing: -1px; background-color: rgb(255, 255, 255);"><font size="3">A Strategy for U.S. Foreign Policy</font></h2>

<p class="pub-info" style=" margin: 16px 0px 15px; padding: 0px; border: 0px; font-size: 12px; font-family: arial, sans-serif; vertical-align: baseline; line-height: 17px; background-color: rgb(255, 255, 255);"><font color="#888888">Chairs: George E. Pataki, Counsel, Chadbourne & Parke LLP, and</font><b><font color="#ff0000"> Thomas J. Vilsack, Of Counsel, Dorsey & Whitney LLP</font></b>

Director: <a href="http://www.cfr.org/experts/energy-geoeconomics/michael-a-levi/b11890" itemprop="author" rel="author" style=" margin: 0px; padding: 0px; border: 0px; font-weight: inherit; font-style: inherit; font-family: inherit; vertical-align: baseline; text-decoration: none;">Michael A. Levi</a>, David M. Rubenstein Senior Fellow for Energy and the Environment and Director of the Maurice R. Greenberg Center for Geoeconomic Studies

Senior Adviser: David G. Victor, Adjunct Senior Fellow for Science and Technology</p>

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<h2 style=" margin: 0px; padding: 0.5em 10px 0.25em 15px; border-width: 0px; border-top-style: none; line-height: 1.4em; font-family: Arial, Helvetica, Geneva, sans-serif; background-color: rgb(255, 255, 255);"><font size="3">Six Reasons Why Obama Appointing Monsanto's Buddy, Former Iowa Governor Vilsack, for USDA Head Would be a Terrible Idea</font></h2>

<li style=" margin: 0px; padding: 0px 0px 1em; border: 0px; list-style-type: none; line-height: 1.5em; font-size: 1em; font-weight: bold;"><b style=" margin: 0px; padding: 0px; border: 0px;">Organic Consumers Association, November 12, 2008 

<a href="http://www.stopvilsack.org/" style=" margin: 0px; padding: 0px; border-width: 0px 0px 1px; border-bottom-style: dotted; border-bottom-color: rgb(102, 153, 102); text-decoration: none;">Straight to the Source </a>

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<div class="story" style=" margin: 0px 20px; padding: 0px; border: 0px; font-size: 1.1em;"><font color="#000000"><a href="http://www.stopvilsack.org/" target="_blank" style=" margin: 0px; padding: 0px; border-width: 0px 0px 1px; border-bottom-style: dotted; border-bottom-color: rgb(102, 153, 102); text-decoration: none; font-weight: bold;">TAKE ACTION TO STOP VILSACK'S CONFIRMATION</a><br style=" margin: 0px; padding: 0px; border: 0px; clear: none;" />

Former Iowa Governor Tom Vilsack's support of genetically engineered pharmaceutical crops, especially pharmaceutical corn: <br style=" margin: 0px; padding: 0px; border: 0px; clear: none;" />

<a href="http://www.gene.ch/genet/2002/Oct/msg00057.html" style=" margin: 0px; padding: 0px; border-width: 0px 0px 1px; border-bottom-style: dotted; border-bottom-color: rgb(102, 153, 102); text-decoration: none; font-weight: bold;">http://www.gene.ch/genet/2002/Oct/msg00057.html</a> <br style=" margin: 0px; padding: 0px; border: 0px; clear: none;" />

<a href="http://www.organicconsumers.org/gefood/drugsincorn102302.cfm" style=" margin: 0px; padding: 0px; border-width: 0px 0px 1px; border-bottom-style: dotted; border-bottom-color: rgb(102, 153, 102); text-decoration: none; font-weight: bold;">http://www.organicconsumers.org/gefood/drugsincorn102302.cfm</a><br style=" margin: 0px; padding: 0px; border: 0px; clear: none;" />

The biggest biotechnology industry group, the Biotechnology Industry Organization, named Vilsack Governor of the Year. He was also the founder and former chair of the Governor's Biotechnology Partnership. <br style=" margin: 0px; padding: 0px; border: 0px; clear: none;" />

<a href="http://www.bio.org/news/pressreleases/newsitem.asp?id=2001_0920_01" title=" (Full address: http://www.bio.org/news/pressreleases/newsitem.asp?id=2001_0920_01)" style=" margin: 0px; padding: 0px; border-width: 0px 0px 1px; border-bottom-style: dotted; border-bottom-color: rgb(102, 153, 102); text-decoration: none; font-weight: bold;">http://www.bio.org/news/pressreleases/newsitem.asp?id=200...</a><br style=" margin: 0px; padding: 0px; border: 0px; clear: none;" />

When Vilsack created the Iowa Values Fund, his first poster child of economic development potential was Trans Ova and their pursuit of cloning dairy cows.<br style=" margin: 0px; padding: 0px; border: 0px; clear: none;" />

Vilsack was the origin of the seed pre-emption bill in 2005, which many people here in Iowa fought because it took away local government's possibility of ever having a regulation on seeds- where GE would be grown, having GE-free buffers, banning pharma corn locally, etc. Representative Sandy Greiner, the Republican sponsor of the bill, bragged on the House Floor that Vilsack put her up to it right after his state of the state address.<br style=" margin: 0px; padding: 0px; border: 0px; clear: none;" />

Vilsack has a glowing reputation as being a schill for agribusiness biotech giants like Monsanto. Sustainable ag advocated across the country were spreading the word of Vilsack's history as he was attempting to appeal to voters in his presidential bid. An activist from the west coast even made this youtube animation about Vilsack <br style=" margin: 0px; padding: 0px; border: 0px; clear: none;" />

<a href="http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Hmoc4Qgcm4s" style=" margin: 0px; padding: 0px; border-width: 0px 0px 1px; border-bottom-style: dotted; border-bottom-color: rgb(102, 153, 102); text-decoration: none; font-weight: bold;">http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Hmoc4Qgcm4s</a> <br style=" margin: 0px; padding: 0px; border: 0px; clear: none;" />

The airplane in this animation is a referral to the controversy that Vilsack often traveled in Monsanto's jet.<br style=" margin: 0px; padding: 0px; border: 0px; clear: none;" />

*Vilsack is an ardent support of corn and soy based biofuels, which use as much or more fossil energy to produce them as they generate, while driving up world food prices and literally starving the poor.<br style=" margin: 0px; padding: 0px; border: 0px; clear: none;" />

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