TOM VILSACK

Biden vented to aides after an ethanol announcement designed to calm gas prices, questioning the policy’s effectiveness — a reflection of his broader irritation at the inability to tame inflation.

Agriculture Secretary Tom Vilsack on Wednesday unveiled $2 billion in new funding to strengthen food supply chains hard hit by the pandemic.

As parents scramble to find scarce baby formula and the government races to boost production and imports, some advocates say the U.S. should do more to encourage breastfeeding.

A U.S. military plane brought more than 70,000 pounds of hypoallergenic baby formula as part of an administration initiative to quickly address a national shortage of the food source.

INDIANAPOLIS — (AP) — Enough specialty infant formula for more than half a million baby bottles arrived Sunday in Indianapolis. The formula, weighing 78,000 pounds (35,380 kilograms), was being transported by military plane, White House press secretary Karine Jean-Pierre told reporters aboard Air Force One as President Joe Biden flew from South Korea to Japan. It is the first of several flights carrying infant formula from Europe expected this weekend to relieve the deepening shortage in the U.S. The Biden administration — which has struggled to address a nationwide shortage of formula, particularly hypoallergenic varieties — has dubbed the effort "Operation Fly Formula." Air Force planes are transporting the initial batch of formula because no commercial flights were available this weekend.

Baby formula shortage: What you need to know The lack of baby formula isn't expected to end soon. (NCD)INDIANAPOLIS — A shipment of baby formula arrived Sunday in Indianapolis on a U.S. military plane from Europe, with enough for more than 500,000 baby bottles, The Associated Press and CNN reported. Administration officials are hoping the infusion of more baby formula will help alleviate the nationwide shortage. Folks, I’m excited to tell you that the first flight from Operation Fly Formula is loaded up with more than 70,000 pounds of infant formula and about to land in Indiana. pic.twitter.com/cX4KU0eDtZ — President Biden (@POTUS) May 22, 2022Agriculture Secretary Tom Vilsack was in Indianapolis to greet the plane, WRTV reported.

The formula was transported from Europe via military plane.

INDIANAPOLIS — (AP) — Enough specialty infant formula for more than half a million baby bottles arrived Sunday in Indianapolis. The formula, weighing 78,000 pounds (35,380 kilograms), was being transported by military plane, White House press secretary Karine Jean-Pierre told reporters aboard Air Force One as President Joe Biden flew from South Korea to Japan. It is the first of several flights carrying infant formula from Europe expected this weekend to relieve the deepening shortage in the U.S. The Biden administration — which has struggled to address a nationwide shortage of formula, particularly hypoallergenic varieties — has dubbed the effort "Operation Fly Formula." Air Force planes are transporting the initial batch of formula because no commercial flights were available this weekend.

INDIANAPOLIS — (AP) — Enough specialty infant formula for more than half a million baby bottles is expected to arrive Sunday in Indianapolis, White House press secretary Karine Jean-Pierre said. The formula, weighing 78,000 pounds (35,380 kilograms), is being transported by military plane, Jean-Pierre told reporters aboard Air Force One as President Joe Biden flew from South Korea to Japan. It is the first of several flights carrying infant formula from Europe expected this weekend to relieve the deepening shortage in the U.S. The Biden administration — which has struggled to address a nationwide shortage of formula, particularly hypoallergenic varieties — has dubbed the effort "Operation Fly Formula." Air Force planes are transporting the initial batch of formula because no commercial flights were available this weekend.

A military plane carrying enough specialty infant formula for more than half a million baby bottles arrived Sunday in Indianapolis.

Georgia's senior congressman is facing his toughest challenge from Republicans in more than a decade.

The official said the U.S. believes that Ukrainian troops have pushed Russian forces to within one to four kilometers of Russia’s border. ___WASHINGTON -- Senate Republican leader Mitch McConnell says the U.S. would move quickly to approve Sweden’s application to join the NATO military alliance. Russian forces have been trying for weeks to seize Severodonetsk, a key site in the Donbas that’s outside the territory that separatists held for the past several years. The European Commission proposed on May 4 a sixth package of Ukraine war sanctions that included a ban on oil imports from Russia. ___BRUSSELS — Canada says it supports plans from Finland and Sweden to join NATO amid Russia’s war in Ukraine.

The U.S. baby formula shortage has sparked a surge of interest among moms who want to donate breast milk to help bridge the supply gap as well as those seeking to keep their babies fed.

Jeff and Gina O'Connor welcomed President Joe Biden to their Kankakee farm on a day that started early, with Jeff putting in 15-20 acres of soybeans.

President Joe Biden tours a corn and soybean farm outside Kankakee and talks about efforts to confront rising prices and help farmer before a stop in Chicago to address the electricians union.

President Joe Biden is vowing to help American farmers try to ease a global spike in food prices following Russia’s invasion of Ukraine.

President Joe Biden tours a Kankakee farm before a stop in Chicago.

Some grain elevators are so full that farmers trying to sell their crops are being turned away.

Iowa was Barack Obama’s unlikely launching pad in 2008 to become the nation’s first Black president.

Tests positive: New York City Mayor Eric Adams tested positive for COVID-19 and will isolate, his press secretary said. (Alexi Rosenfeld/Getty Images)NEW YORK — New York City Mayor Eric Adams tested positive for COVID-19 on Sunday, his press secretary said. At least 67 people, including House Speaker Nancy Pelosi, Attorney General Merrick Garland, and Agriculture Secretary Tom Vilsack, have tested positive after attending the event, WNBC reported. >> Coronavirus: Secretary of Agriculture Tom Vilsack tests positiveThe mayor was scheduled to attend an official ribbon-cutting event on the Coney Island boardwalk to celebrate the opening of Deno’s Wonder Wheel, according to WABC. >> Coronavirus: Senators Raphael Warnock, Susan Collins test positive for COVID-19Levy said that Adams will work remotely while he recovers, WABC reported.

The Gridiron dinner has led to at least 67 covid cases among guests including Secretary of Agriculture Tom Vilsack, according to new data from the organizers.

Tested positive: Agriculture Secretary Tom Vilsack is the third Cabinet member to test positive for COVID-19 this week. (Kevin Dietsch/Getty Images)U.S. Agriculture Secretary Tom Vilsack said Saturday that he has tested positive for COVID-19, the latest high-profile government official to contract the virus. “I tested positive for COVID. — Secretary Tom Vilsack (@SecVilsack) April 9, 2022Vilsack, the former governor of Iowa, is the third Cabinet member to test positive. >> Nancy Pelosi tests positive for COVID-19Several hours after Pelosi’s announcement, Sen. Raphael Warnock, of Georgia, and Sen. Susan Collins, of Maine, announced they had tested positive for COVID-19.

Iowa Attorney General Tom Miller says dramatic increases in the price of farm fertilizers have prompted him to look into the causes and whether farmers have been subjected to unfair practices.

The investment comes after the Biden administration pledged to slash climate-changing greenhouse gas emissions from the agriculture sector in half by 2030.

Meanwhile, hosts should also remember the USDA’s Four Steps to Food Safety:Clean : Wash hands for 20 seconds before and after handling raw meat and poultry. Clean hands, surfaces and utensils with soap and warm water before cooking and after contact with raw meat and poultry. : Wash hands for 20 seconds before and after handling raw meat and poultry. Clean hands, surfaces and utensils with soap and warm water before cooking and after contact with raw meat and poultry. : Avoid cross-contamination between raw meat or poultry and ready-to-eat foods by separating cutting boards, plates and utensils used for the different items.

Vice President Kamala Harris returned to her home state during challenging times for the White House to highlight funding for federal wildfire programs.

The Biden administration wants to thin more forests and use prescribed burns to reduce catastrophic wildfires as climate changes makes blazes more intense. “You're going to have forest fires. “The time to act is now if we want to ultimately over time change the trajectory of these fires,” Vilsack said. But Abatzoglou, a University of California Merced engineering professor, said the focus on wildfire hazards closest to communities makes sense. For decades the primary approach to containing and extinguishing forest fires was to try to stamp them out.

Western Wildfires Biden Plan FILE - Trees scorched by the Caldor Fire smolder in the Eldorado National Forest, Calif., Friday, Sept. 3, 2021. — (AP) — The Biden administration plans to significantly expand efforts to stave off catastrophic wildfires that have torched areas of the U.S. West by more aggressively thinning forests around areas called “hotspots” where nature and neighborhoods collide. “You're going to have forest fires. “The time to act is now if we want to ultimately over time change the trajectory of these fires,” Vilsack said. For decades the primary approach to containing and extinguishing forest fires was to try to stamp them out.

— (AP) — The Biden administration plans to significantly expand efforts to stave off catastrophic wildfires that have torched areas of the U.S. West by more aggressively thinning forests around areas called “hotspots” where nature and neighborhoods collide. “You're going to have forest fires. “The time to act is now if we want to ultimately over time change the trajectory of these fires,” Vilsack said. But Abatzoglou, a University of California Merced engineering professor, said the focus on wildfire hazards closest to communities makes sense. For decades the primary approach to containing and extinguishing forest fires was to try to stamp them out.

The Biden administration says it will significantly expand efforts to stave off catastrophic wildfires that have been torching areas of the U.S. West by more aggressively thinning forests around “hot spots” where nature and neighborhoods collide.

A judge on Wednesday issued a temporary restraining order that details how picketing workers at the Deere & Co. plant in Davenport must conduct themselves. In seeking the injunction Wednesday, Deere officials alleged that striking workers had disrupted access to the Davenport Works plant and put others at risk. District Court Judge Marlita Greve ordered the union to allow only four picketers at a time near the gates of the plant.

Federal health officials are rethinking their approach to controlling salmonella in poultry plants in the hope of reducing the number of illnesses linked to the bacteria each year.

Nations, companies and corporations are pledging billions of dollars to feed the world in connection with an ambitious United Nations food systems summit.

Biden Director of the National Economic Council Brian Deese, left, speaks as Agriculture Secretary Tom Vilsack, right, listens during the daily briefing at the White House in Washington, Wednesday, Sept. 8, 2021. (AP Photo/Susan Walsh) (Susan Walsh)A new White House council on U.S. economic conditions plans to hold its first meeting Friday, with participants to highlight at least 18 actions taken to help consumers and potentially lower prices. Details about the meeting were provided by two administration officials who spoke on condition of anonymity to preview the gathering. The goal is to foster a more dynamic economy in which competition among companies leads to more transparency, greater choice and potential savings for customers. The council is led by Brian Deese, director of the White House National Economic Council.

At the first meeting of a new White House council on U.S. economic conditions, participants are highlighting at least 18 actions taken to help consumers and potentially lower prices.

The government is putting $700 million toward repaying food system workers who suffered disproportionately from COVID-19.

Beef Checkoff Petition FILE -In this June 10, 2020 file photo, cattle is seen at a feedlot in Columbus, Neb. Cattle producers for 35 years have been bankrolling one of the nation's most iconic marketing campaigns, but now many want to end the program that created the "Beef. And in 2005, the Supreme Court found the beef checkoff program was constitutional on government speech grounds. The Agricultural Marketing Service received a petition from cattle producers in 1999 and determined the signatures fell short of the required number. It takes the petition signatures of 10% of the nation's cattle producers — in this case 88,269 valid signatures — to put the issue before the agriculture secretary.

It’s one of the nation’s most iconic marketing slogans, but today the checkoff program that created the “Beef.

“The American consumer is deceived at the meat counter and our checkoff funds do not do anything to help create clarity or answer the question of where was that sirloin born, raised and harvested,” said Karina Jones, a Nebraska cattle rancher and field director for the R-CALF USA trade group that is seeking to end the checkoff. Opponents of the beef checkoff program, which was established by federal law in 1986, are urging cattle producers to a sign a petition calling for a referendum vote on terminating the program. Agriculture Secretary Tom Vilsack last month granted an extension until Oct. 3 for them to collect the required signatures due to the coronavirus pandemic.

BURLINGTON, Vt. — (AP) — Help is on the way for dairy farmers who got a lower price for their products because of pandemic-related market abnormalities, the U.S. Department of Agricullture said Thursday. The department will provide about $350 million in assistance payments to eligible farmers, it said. “Family dairy farmers have been battered by the pandemic, trade issues and unpredictable weather and are the life-blood of many rural communities throughout Vermont, the Northeast and many other regions," U.S. Agriculture Secretary Tom Vilsack said in a written statement while in Vermont. USDA will make payments through agreements with handlers and cooperatives, which will distribute the funds. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten or redistributed without permission.

Food Stamps FILE - In this Jan. 12, 2015 file photo, a supermarket displays stickers indicating they accept food stamps in West New York, N.J. The Biden administration has approved a significant and permanent increase in the levels of food stamp assistance available to needy families—the largest single increase in the program’s history. Starting in October 2021, average benefits for food stamps (officially known as the SNAP program) will rise more than 25 percent above pre-pandemic levels. Starting in October, average benefits for food stamps — officially known as the Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program, or SNAP — will rise more than 25 percent above pre-pandemic levels. The increase coincides with the end of a 15 percent boost in SNAP benefits that was ordered as a pandemic protection measure.

The average benefits for people in the SNAP program will rise more than 25% above pre-pandemic levels. The increase begins in October, available immediately and indefinitely to 42 million people.

Starting in October, food assistance benefits will increase by an average of 25% above pre-pandemic levels.

The Biden administration is overhauling the basic formula for food aid, adding $19 billion in annual costs to the program.

The Biden administration has approved a significant and permanent increase in the levels of food stamp assistance available to needy families—the largest single increase in the program’s history.

The Biden administration has approved a significant and permanent increase in the levels of food stamp assistance available to needy families.

Democrats in Congress are pushing for a federal jobs program that would tackle climate, land use, infrastructure, and more. Here's why it's so urgent.

Last year, the coronavirus pandemic shut down significant portions of the nation's meat processing capacity when the virus spread quickly among workers at processing plants. It will provide grants, loans, and technical assistance to help build new meat and poultry processing facilities. Mark Dopp, senior vice president and general counsel for the organization, said in a letter to USDA officials in June that the coronavirus pandemic sickened workers at meat processors of all sizes, not just the largest. He added building more processing plants also will not address the labor shortage that is one of the biggest problems facing the meatpacking industry. “This remarkable drop is attributable largely to systemic efficiencies that allow food processors to offer food to consumers at lower prices," he said.

Water Infrastructure Agriculture Secretary Tom Vilsack tours a tribal wastewater facility on Wednesday, July 7, 2021, in Ohkay Owingeh, New Mexico. Vilsack announced that the Pueblo will receive a $610,000 loan and a $1.6 million grant in state money to expand the wastewater treatment plant where. (AP Photo/Cedar Attanasio) (Cedar Attanasio)OHKAY OWINGEH PUEBLO, N.M. — (AP) — The U.S. Department of Agriculture will issue up to $307 million in grants and low-interest loans in an effort to modernize rural water infrastructure, officials announced Wednesday. The Pueblo will receive a $610,000 loan and a $1.6 million grant to improve its wastewater treatment plant, part of a $4 million investment in the state. “I had to liquidate 250 animals overnight,” said Dave Sanchez, 61, of Chama, north of Ohkay Owingeh Pueblo.

The U.S. Department of Agriculture will be issuing $307 million in grants and low-interest loans to modernize rural water infrastructure across 34 states and the territory of Puerto Rico.

The Biden administration plans to issue a new rule to protect the rights of farmers who raise cows, chickens and hogs against the country’s largest meat processors as part of a plan to encourage more competition in agriculture.

Veteran forester Randy Moore has been named chief of the U.S. Forest Service, the first African American to lead the agency in its 116-year history.

The Department of Agriculture is sending $1 billion to the country’s food bank networks, seeking to expand the reach of the system and revamp the way food banks acquire and distribute aid.

The Biden administration has proposed funding for dozens of conservation and recreation projects across the country as it allocates $2.8 billion in grants and programs authorized by a landmark conservation law.

An Iowa farmer and farmer county supervisor has become the first Democrat to announce he is running for Republican Sen. Chuck Grassley's seat.

Across the country 15,000 to 18,000 farm loans taken out by minority farmers could be forgiven at a cost of $4 billion.

For Black and minority farmers, the American Rescue Plan could represent one of the most significant pieces of civil rights legislation in decades.

U.S. officials said Thursday they will try to stamp out wildfires as quickly as possible this year as severe drought tightens its grip across the West and sets the stage for another destructive summer of blazes. Large fires were active Thursday in Arizona, California and New Mexico and more than a half-million acres already have burned this year nationwide.

A nutrition expert who pioneered innovative ways of raising fish rich in micronutrients and fatty acids and incorporating them into diets in developing countries has won the World Food Prize.

The Biden administration has detailed steps to achieve its goal of conserving about one-third of America’s lands and waters by 2030.

Hiring at the Kansas City site remains well below the roughly 550 high-paying jobs local leaders had anticipated. However, he said those frustrations have dealt more with reports published by other USDA agencies, and that some farmers may be confusing them. For example, a two-year research project on pollinators such as honeybees was shelved because the entire team working on it left the agency rather than move to Kansas City. In October 2016 — before Trump's first year in office — ERS had 318 permanent employees, according to USDA data. “And here in the United States, what we do with groups like that — we can’t send them to Siberia, so we send them to Kansas City.”

They worry that what the administration is pitching as a bold step to confront warming could turn into a giveaway to Big Ag. As the Biden administration reviews every sector of the economy for its impact on climate, agriculture is a rich target. It is one of the nation’s largest drivers of global warming, accounting for 10% of greenhouse gas emissions. Advertisement“The Environmental Defense Fund is still in early days of trying to figure out how to structure a carbon bank,” said Callie Eideberg, the group’s director of agricultural policy. “Lots of environmentalists got on board believing it has got to be better for the environment than fossil fuels,” he said.

Agriculture Secretary Tom Vilsack believes China is making good on promises it made as part of the landmark phase one trade deal it signed with the U.S. last year. Vilsack said that the deal allows for market conditions to dictate how much Beijing is required to purchase from U.S. farmers. The additional purchases are supposed to be in addition to the quantity of goods and services Beijing bought from the U.S. in 2017. Specifically, China agreed to purchase $12.5 billion worth of agricultural goods in 2020, followed by an additional $19.5 billion in 2021. Still, some reports note that China hasn't purchased the sums it promised before the Covid-19 pandemic, even if the rules of the trade deal allow for changes to the purchase amounts based market conditions.

(Graeme Jennings/Pool via AP)WASHINGTON – President Joe Biden's Cabinet is starting to fill out, with nominees for agriculture secretary and United Nations ambassador gaining Senate approval Tuesday. “And that’s what we intend to do.”Schumer couldn’t resist a jab at former President Donald Trump, saying that all Biden’s nominees are “undoubtedly qualified for their positions, a stark departure from the caliber of nominees the Senate was made to consider during the previous administration.”But one of Biden's nominees, Neera Tanden to lead the White House Office of Management and Budget, is clearly in trouble in the evenly divided Senate. Currently California's attorney general, Becerra appeared Tuesday before the Senate Health, Education, Labor and Pensions Committee. “I'm not sold yet,” Sen. Richard Burr of North Carolina, the ranking Republican on the health committee, said, addressing Becerra. ___INTERIORRep. Deb Haaland, Biden's nominee to lead the Interior Department, fielded sharp questions from Republicans over what some called her “radical” ideas that include opposition to fracking and to the Keystone XL oil pipeline.

FILE - In this Dec. 11, 2020, file photo former Agriculture Secretary Tom Vilsack, who the Biden administration chose to reprise that role, speaks during an event at The Queen theater in Wilmington, Del. (AP Photo/Susan Walsh, File)WASHINGTON – The Senate on Tuesday voted overwhelmingly to confirm Tom Vilsack as agriculture secretary, his second run at the Cabinet post. The former Iowa governor spent eight years leading the same Department of Agriculture for former President Barack Obama's entire administration. “We’re going to be a USDA that represents and serves all Americans,” Vilsack said after the vote. AdWith systemic racial inequity now a nationwide talking point, Vilsack also envisioned creating an “equity task force” inside the department.

AdJohn Boyd Jr., a Virginia farmer who is president of the National Black Farmers Association, has voiced his concerns during several conversations with the nominee. AdSome Black farmers want Biden to sign an executive order they drafted halting foreclosures on Black-owned farms and making other civil rights reforms. But Vilsack's supporters contend lending to Black farmers was prioritized during his time at the department. At the beginning of Obama's first term, USDA made 557 direct farm loans to Black farmers, representing less than 2.4% of all direct loans. By 2015, that number had risen to 945 loans, with nearly 3.4% of direct loans going to Black farmers.

(AP Photo/Charlie Neibergall, File)IOWA CITY, Iowa – Iowa Gov. AdThe records show Reynolds has supported policies Iowa Select has sought, made several appearances for the corporation and its charity, and routinely spoken with Jeff Hansen. Ad“From the top of the gold dome to the Governor’s office, you’ll be treated to a tour unlike any other!” it said. Weeks after he won the auction, Reynolds was a keynote speaker at Lynch's annual charity banquet in Decorah. Iowa Select spokeswoman Jen Sorenson said the company feels “an important responsibility” to educate elected officials on Iowa's multibillion-dollar animal agriculture industry, saying it leads to better policy.

"But I do think he is going to be confirmed and hopefully, he will change and bring to the forefront the issues facing Black farmers." Civil rights leaders have long criticized the Agriculture Department for discriminatory practices against Black farmers. An average of 820 acres per day were seized from Black farmers between 1950 and 1969. In addition, Black farmers were also frequently shut out of USDA subsidies and farm lending programs. He also thanked New Jersey Democratic Senator Cory Booker and other lawmakers for sponsoring the Justice for Black Farmers Act, a bill designed to strengthen accountability within the USDA and pave the way for Black farmers' inclusion in farming subsidies.

Tom Vilsack, President Biden's nominee for secretary of agriculture, pledged Tuesday to focus on climate change initiatives and work to address racial inequities in agricultural assistance programs. If anything, this was an understatement, since Vilsack has already served as secretary of agriculture — for an eight-year stint during the Obama administration. Tom Vilsack testifies remotely during his Senate confirmation hearing on Feb. 2, 2021. "That's great, assuming you have a grocery store. But if you don't have a grocery store, what then?"

FILE - In this Dec. 11, 2020, file photo former Agriculture Secretary Tom Vilsack, who the Biden administration chose to reprise that role, speaks during an event at The Queen theater in Wilmington, Del. (AP Photo/Susan Walsh, File)WASHINGTON – Tom Vilsack, President Joe Biden's nominee for secretary of agriculture, pledged Tuesday to focus on climate change initiatives and work to address racial inequities in agricultural assistance programs. Vilsack, who testified before the Senate Agriculture, Nutrition and Forestry Committee, would bring much on-the-job experience to the position. In addition to serving two terms as the governor of Iowa, he spent eight years as President Barack Obama's Agriculture Secretary. But if you don’t have a grocery store, what then?”AdVilsack seems to enjoy bipartisan support and faced no serious criticism from Republicans on the committee.

Black farmers question USDA priorities as Black-owned farms decrease in the U.S. U.S. Department of Agriculture nominee Tom Vilsack faces criticism from Black farmers for not doing enough under the Obama administration to address systemic racism in farming. Meanwhile, the number of Black-owned farms in the U.S. continues to decline. Founder and president of the National Black Farmers Association, John W. Boyd Jr., joins CBSN's Tanya Rivero to discuss his experience and why he has hope for the Justice for Black Farmers Act.

His Cabinet picks help demonstrate how he plans to deliver. Many have already begun meeting with interest groups and advocacy organizations, and his transition team has had what’s been described as an “open-door policy” toward advocacy groups for months. It’s a sharp contrast to President Donald Trump’s Cabinet, which was dominated largely by white men with little experience in Washington. Biden’s aides say that was one of the goals he set in filling out his Cabinet: to signal that his presidency means a return to competent, stable leadership government. While Salguero recalled meetings with the Trump administration on key issues, he said the Biden transition team’s outreach already has gone further.

FILE - In this Sept. 17, 2020, file photo, House Majority Whip James Clyburn, of S.C., speaks during a news conference about COVID-19, on Capitol Hill in Washington. President-elect Joe Biden brings more Capitol Hill experience than any president in decades. Biden's team swiftly adjusted, introducing Black, Latino and Asian American nominees as the president-elect vows to build the most diverse administration in history. Biden’s team incensed Hispanic and Asian and Pacific American lawmakers with its handling of Cabinet choices from their communities. “Democrats are always lecturing Republican senators about approving future Biden Cabinet nominees even if we don’t agree with them,” Grassley said.

(AP Photo/Susan Walsh, File)WASHINGTON – Shortly after President-elect Joe Biden’s victory last month, Cabinet hopeful Marcia Fudge pointedly noted that Black people are often typecast into positions such as housing secretary. He’s pledged to nominate the most diverse Cabinet in history and restore experience at beleaguered federal agencies. The GOP has barely acknowledged Biden's victory so the cooperation of its senators in the confirmation process is far from certain. “That’s why we are worried.”One prominent feature of Biden’s picks so far: deep ties to the Obama administration. Brent Colburn, a former Obama administration official who served in several agencies, encouraged Democrats to consider the bigger picture as they judge Biden's Cabinet.

President-elect Joe Biden has selected Vilsack to reprise that role in his administration. Vilsack “has the necessary qualifications and experience to steer the agency through these turbulent times,” said Rob Larew, the president of the National Farmers Union. Then mayor of Mount Pleasant in southeast Iowa, Vilsack volunteered for the up-and-coming Biden before he exited the presidential race. Despite that, in 2007, after his own brief presidential campaign, Vilsack endorsed Hillary Clinton, even with Biden also running. In his endorsement, Vilsack called Biden “a man with empathy, and a man who has the heart of a president.

(AP Photo/Susan Walsh)WASHINGTON – The Latest on President-elect Joe Biden (all times local):3:55 p.m.Several of the latest picks announced by President-elect Joe Biden are emphasizing the diversity of the backgrounds as they prepare to join an administration Biden has promised will reflect the varied experiences of Americans. Tom Vilsack, Biden’s pick to lead the U.S. Department of Agriculture, noted he grew up in an orphanage near Pittsburgh. Biden spoke while introducing Vilsack, Fudge and three other top picks for his administration on Friday. ___3:05 p.m.President-elect Joe Biden says the American public should have confidence in a coronavirus vaccine that may soon begin to become available. Biden fills Cabinet with former White House leaders— Hundreds of GOP members sign onto Texas-led election lawsuit— Joe Biden, Kamala Harris named Time magazine’s Person of the Year

Susan Rice, the Biden administration's choice to lead the White House Domestic Policy Council, speaks during an event at The Queen theater in Wilmington, Del., Friday, Dec. 11, 2020. His choice for agriculture secretary, Tom Vilsack, served in the same post for Obama for eight years. Above all, they know how government should and can work for all Americans.”Relying too heavily on Obama administration veterans has already begun to draw some grumbling from members of Biden's own party, however. Mark Riddle, a Democratic strategist who founded a pro-Biden Super PAC during the 2020 presidential campaign, said there is no danger in relying too heavily on “all star” former Obama administration leaders. “If we come out of the box on jobs, jobs, jobs, I feel great.

President-elect Joe Biden is nominating former President Barack Obama's White House chief of staff Denis McDonough as secretary of the Department of Veterans Affairs. Increasingly deep into the process of selecting Cabinet members and other senior staff, the incoming Biden administration has a distinctly Obama feel. There's Denis McDonough, former President Barack Obama's chief of staff who Biden announced on Thursday would be nominated as the secretary of veterans affairs. Susan Rice, Obama's former U.N. ambassador and national security adviser, was named the director of Biden's White House Domestic Policy Council. Jeff Zients, who did stints as acting Office of Management and Budget director and a top economic adviser in the Obama White House, will return as Biden’s coronavirus response coordinator.

FILE - In this July 7, 2016, file photo, national security adviser Susan Rice on the South Lawn of the White House in Washington. President-elect Joe Biden is naming Susan Rice as director of the White House Domestic Policy Council. The move marks a surprising shift for Rice, a longtime Democratic foreign policy expert who served as President Barack Obama’s national security adviser and U.N. ambassador. In selecting Rice and McDonough, Biden is continuing to stockpile his administration with prominent members of the Obama administration. In choosing Rice to oversee the White House council, advisers said Biden is signaling the importance of domestic policy in his early agenda.

(AP Photo/Susan Walsh)WASHINGTON – President-elect Joe Biden is set to nominate Katherine Tai to be the top U.S. trade envoy, according to two people familiar with his plans. Biden's selection of Tai, who is Asian American, reflects his promise to choose a diverse Cabinet that reflects the makeup of the country. Fluent in Mandarin Chinese, Tai earlier oversaw China trade enforcement for the Office of the U.S. Trade Representative, setting U.S. strategy in trade disputes with China. Biden’s trade representative will inherit a trade war with China, put on pause by an interim trade pact in January that left many of the hardest issues unresolved and U.S. taxes remaining on $360 billion in Chinese imports. As the top trade staffer at Ways and Means, Tai handled negotiations last year with the Trump administration over a revamped North American trade deal.

Two Democratic women are contenders to be President-elect Joe Biden's secretary of agriculture. Vilsack spent eight years as head of the U.S. Department of Agriculture during the Obama administration and served two terms as Iowa governor. A longtime member of the House Agriculture Committee and a fierce advocate for food stamps, Fudge was originally discussed to become agriculture secretary. After two terms, Vilsack ran a 10-week campaign for the 2008 Democratic nomination before withdrawing and throwing his support to Hillary Clinton, even as Biden remained among the field. Politico first reported the news of Fudge’s selection, while Axios was first to report Vilsack as agriculture secretary.

Ohio Congresswoman Marcia Fudge is President-elect Biden's pick to run the Department of Housing and Urban Development, two people familiar with the decision told CBS News. Mr. Biden has also chosen Tom Vilsack as his agriculture secretary, according to a person familiar with the decision. If confirmed, Fudge, who represents parts of Cleveland and Akron and is a former chairman of the Congressional Black Caucus, would be the second Black woman to lead the department. Patricia Roberts Harris held the job under Jimmy Carter, becoming the first Black woman to be a member of the United States Cabinet. Fudge currently serves on the Committee on House Administration, House Committee on Agriculture and House Committee on Education and Labor.

Rep. Marcia Fudge of Ohio and former Sen. Heidi Heitkamp of North Dakota are in the running for the Cabinet position. (House Television via AP)WASHINGTON – One leading candidate for agriculture secretary hails from Cleveland, has the backing of progressives and has worked for years to boost food stamp programs. Tom Vilsack, who served as Obama’s agriculture secretary for eight years, is also being considered. Biden has said he wants a diverse Cabinet, and some Black leaders have said he needs to do more to achieve that. “You won't find a better person thant Heidi Heitkamp,” Manchin said in a statement, adding that she would make a “tremendous” agriculture secretary.

MINNEAPOLIS – The reelection defeat of U.S. House Agriculture Committee Chairman Collin Peterson in Minnesota and some key retirements mean a shakeup is coming for the industry on Capitol Hill, with power likely to shift from the Midwest to the South and the coasts. Both the House and Senate agriculture committees will get new chairs, and there will be a new top Republican on the House panel. Fischbach plans to seek a seat on the Agriculture Committee, but she'll have to draw heavily on her legislative skills to have much of an influence as a freshman in the minority party. Democratic Sen. Debbie Stabenow of Michigan is the only one of the top four agriculture committee leaders returning in 2021. Neither Roberts nor Rep. Michael Conaway of Texas, the ranking Republican in the House committee, sought reelection.

But there are signs Iowa may be competitive again. Deep concerns about the economy and dissatisfaction with Trump's handling of the coronavirus have changed dynamics of the race. However, Iowa, where Trump won by 9.4 percentage points in 2016, echoes the trend in Ohio, where Trump won by 8 but is now in a pitched battle with Biden. “I believe it is a close race in Iowa," former Iowa Gov. In 2018, Democrats showed signs of resurgence, even though Republican Kim Reynolds became the first woman to be elected Iowa governor.

DES MOINES, Iowa Joe Biden's presidential campaign has lined up a senior team in Iowa, a sign Democrats see the state where Republican Donald Trump beat them handily in 2016 as within reach. Joining Norris as Biden's Iowa campaign director is Lauren Dillon, who directed Minnesota Sen. Amy Klobuchar's 2020 Iowa caucus campaign. She was a senior advertising strategist for Democratic Senate candidates during the 2018 midterm elections after serving in several roles at the Democratic National Committee. The tightening in Iowa follows incremental gains by Democrats since Trump carried the state. The Trump campaign named a senior Iowa team almost a year ago, including Eric Branstad, son of former Gov.

DES MOINES, Iowa Four relatively unknown Iowa Democrats are competing in a primary Tuesday to take on Republican Sen. Joni Ernst, an endeavor viewed as a long shot when better-known prospects last year took a pass on running. But as Democrats are increasingly bullish about their prospects in places such as Arizona and Colorado, the Iowa race is getting renewed attention as a potential battleground that could help the party regain the Senate majority. Greenfield's fundraising prowess reflects a broad array of support among Iowa Democrats. As of a week ago, nearly 500,000 Iowa voters, about one-quarter of the states electorate, had requested absentee ballots, the highest number of absentee ballot requests for any Iowa election, primary or general. The influx of primary-voting Democrats, including those who have been less active in recent cycles, could signal a resurgence of Iowa Democrats.

Secretary of Agriculture and former governor of Iowa Tom Vilsack joins CBSN with insight on the Clinton-Kaine ticket and Donald Trump's campaign rhetoric.

Senator Pat Roberts' ringtone interrupted Agriculture Secretary Tom Vilsack while he was speaking at a Senate Finance Committee hearing.

The cell phone of Sen. Pat Roberts, R-Kansas, disrupts Agriculture Secretary Tom Vilsack, blasting out a popular song from "Frozen."