Ag News, Thursday January 5, 2017
Vilsack Expected to Become U.S. Dairy Export Council President
Outgoing Agriculture Secretary Tom Vilsack is expected to become the next president and CEO of the U.S. Dairy Export Council when he leaves office later this month. Vilsack has not confirmed the plans, but a source familiar with the intentions told Agri-Pulse Vilsack will take the place of Tom Suber, who retired at the end of the year from the Council. The U.S. Dairy Export Council is funded by checkoff revenue to track and promote U.S. dairy products. Vilsack says that until he leaves his post at USDA, he is focused on his current job with “several items to get across the finish line.” He says he has nothing currently to say about “life after the administration.” Vilsack has publicly spoken previously, however, regarding his interest in working in farm policy once he leaves USDA.
Midwest Senators to Meet with EPA Administrator Nominee on Biofuels
Midwest Senators representing ethanol producing states will meet with Scott Pruitt Thursday to discuss biofuels in the Trump administration. President-elect Donald Trump recently nominated Pruitt to become his Environmental Protection Agency administrator. Ethanol proponents have voiced some concern that Pruitt may not be supportive of biofuels. Pruitt currently serves as the attorney general for Oklahoma, one of the nation’s biggest oil, natural gas and grain producing states. In 2014, the New York Times reported he and other Republican attorneys general had formed an “unprecedented, secretive alliance” with the energy industry. However, Trump’s pick for ambassador to China, Iowa Governor Terry Branstad, recently said Pruitt would be supportive of biofuels. Republican Senator Chuck Grassley will host the meeting in his office. Senate members joining the meeting include Missouri Republican Roy Blunt, South Dakota Republicans John Thune and Mike Rounds, Iowa Republican Joni Ernst, Kansas Republican Pat Roberts and Nebraska Republican Deb Fisher.
Source; NAFB News