On Tuesday, the U.S. Senate voted 92-7 to confirm former Iowa Gov. Tom Vilsack as the U.S. Secretary of Agriculture. Vilsack  served eight years in the role during the Obama administration. 

Vilsack supported President Joe Biden in the 2020 election and endorsed him before the Iowa caucuses.

Members of Iowa’s delegation released statements congratulating Vilsack.

Iowa’s own Tom Vilsack was just confirmed again by US Senate 2b Scty of Agriculture w BIG bipartisan vote of 92 to 7 Congrats Tom-keep up the fight for family farmers/biofuels/etc

— Chuck Grassley (@ChuckGrassley) February 23, 2021

My full statement on the confirmation of Tom Vilsack to be Secretary of @USDA: pic.twitter.com/qrFy5XjHl2

— Joni Ernst (@SenJoniErnst) February 23, 2021

U.S. Sens. Chuck Grassley and Joni Ernst, R-Iowa, both voted to confirm him. Ernst said in her statement Vilsack must advocate for Iowa farmers and families and that she did not want to see him bend to a liberal agenda. 

“Secretary Vilsack must be a strong and loud advocate for Iowa farmers, the biofuels community, and rural America as a whole… If Secretary Vilsack decides to give into the Liberal left — their policies that would hurt animal agriculture and devastate our biofuels industry and RFS — Iowans will remember,” Ernst wrote.

In interviews with The Daily Iowan in January, both Grassley and Ernst said they hope to build on Trump-era agriculture policies, like expanding the Phase 1 trade agreement with China and the use of biofuels. Ernst said she had met with Vilsack in January to talk about how they can work together.

I am pleased to see that the Senate has confirmed @secvilsack with a strong, bipartisan vote to lead @USDA.

I look forward to working with the Secretary, as well as my House and Senate colleagues, to serve farmers across Iowa. #IowaAg #IA02https://t.co/uiJR6JsxmA

— Rep. Mariannette Miller-Meeks, M.D. (@RepMMM) February 23, 2021

I'd like to congratulate @secvilsack on his confirmation to once again serve as Secretary of the @USDA.

As a fellow Iowan, he understands the important role agriculture plays in supporting our rural communities and appreciates the work our farmers do to feed & fuel the world.

— Rep. Randy Feenstra (@RepFeenstra) February 23, 2021

The Senate confirmed Iowa's Tom Vilsack as the next @USDA Secretary today. I look forward to working with him to support Iowa's farmers, biofuel producers, and agriculture industry. #IA01 https://t.co/yckqJ5iOSP

— Ashley Hinson (@RepAshleyHinson) February 23, 2021

https://twitter.com/RepCindyAxne/status/1364304805594861569

Rep. Cindy Axne, D-Iowa, the state’s only Democratic representative, said Vilsack will be a leader and critical voice for rural America. 

“Our rural communities have suffered too much in the last four years – from trade wars to abuse of the Renewable Fuel Standard – we need national leadership that will support rural America and expand economic opportunity to all,” Axne said. 

Axne, who is on the House Agriculture Committee, told The Daily Iowan in January that one of her biggest agriculture priorities will be to implement policy to help farmers farm more sustainably, such as providing incentives for farmers to sequester carbon.

Sen. Bernie Sanders, I-Vermont, joined six Republicans in voting against the confirmation, saying he was looking for someone who would work more vigorously against corporate agriculture and to protect family farms. 

.@SenSanders tells me his reasoning for voting against Vilsack: “I think we need somebody a little bit more vigorous in terms of protecting family farms and taking on corporate agriculture.”

— Seung Min Kim (@seungminkim) February 23, 2021

During Vilsack’s confirmation hearing he said he now supports a more equitable and regenerative food system.

In November 2020, a coalition of farm, environment, food safety, and animal welfare organizations sent a letter to the Biden transition team supporting Rep. Marcia Fudge, D-Ohio, for Secretary of Agriculture. The Center for Food Safety opposed Vilsack’s potential nomination in December 2020, citing Vilsack’s support of chemically dependent industrial agriculture that resulted in pesticides being released into the environment. 

Beginning in 2017, Vilsack also served as the President and CEO of the U.S. Dairy Export Council, where he worked to build sales and consumer trust in U.S. dairy.