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NCBA expects a quick confirmation process for Vilsack

Confirmation hearings for Agriculture Secretary Nominee Tom Vilsack begin this week. 

Ethan Lane with the National Cattlemen’s Beef Association says they anticipate a quick confirmation process.  “A benefit of having a Secretary and his team coming in who have already been there in a previous administration is they’re going to have a much shorter ramp-up period,” he says.  “That gives us the ability to kind of keep moving forward with some of these things that have already been in process at the USDA – like gene editing, traceability, or product of the USA labeling.”

He tells Brownfield there are some agricultural issues that weren’t priorities for President Trump or President Obama that still need work.  “They were just ag industry issues that we were always working on, so as far as that goes, that continuity and understanding of the issues is going to be helpful,” he says.  “Obviously they’re going to bring in a different perspective to some of those issues and we’re just going to have to engage with them and work through those things and see what we can get done.”

The confirmation hearings are scheduled to begin Tuesday morning.

He tells Brownfield there are some agricultural issues that weren’t priorities for President Trump or President Obama that still need work.  “They were just ag industry issues that we were always working on, so as far as that goes, that continuity and understanding of the issues is going to be helpful,” he says.  “Obviously they’re going to bring in a different perspective to some of those issues and we’re just going to have to engage with them and work through those things and see what we can get done.”

The confirmation hearings are scheduled to begin Tuesday morning.