http://www.time.com/time/politics/article/0,8599,1867780,00.html
President Obama recently appointed Tom Vilsack, former Iowa governor, as the United States Secretary of Agriculture. Given that the agricultural system, from growth to transport to land-use change, is responsible for about 1/3 of greenhouse gases globally, a strong link between agricultural and environmental policy is increasingly apparent. Ergo the President’s choice for Secretary of Agriculture has extremely important implications for those who value environmental policy.
The choice of Vilsack has not been initially embraced by environmentalists. To begin with, Vilsack has been a strong supporter of biofuels, particularly ethanol. While initially touted as a ‘green’ alternative, ethanol has since been deemed a less than ideal solution by those concerned with the environment. Further, during his time as governor of Iowa the presence of feedlots has increased. Feedlots are gargantuan “animal farms” which utilize heavily subsidized corn, antibiotics and unsanitary conditions with which to grow livestock as quickly and cheaply as possible for human consumption. To touch on a few concerns, feedlots are generally acknowledged to contribute substantial pollutants into the air and water while simultaneously increasing drug resistant pathogens. This style of farming also indirectly supports the subsidized corn industry which has had devastating impacts on crop diversity and utilizes tremendous quantities of pesticides. Finally, Vilsacks allegiance is suspect, given his Iowan roots, as Iowa is one of the nation’s leading producers of corn and soy.
But the above should not cause environmentalists to immediately despair as Vilsack does give us reason to hope. Vilsack has declared his support for farm conservation programs, programs that would hopefully work for the small to midsize American farmer. This is in direct contrast to the big business heavily subsidized mega farmers who have been leading the way in the US. He also claims to support wind generated energy and has been vocal about his concern for global climate change. It initially appears as if Obama’s choice of Tom Vilsack as Secretary of Agriculture is a “middle of the road” decision. We will wait and see how dedicated Vilsack really is to drastically overhauling the US agricultural system and as such doing his part to improve the environment.
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As I read your comments I have to stop and wonder..... Is it really that important Tom Vilsack's personal views?
ReplyDeleteI think that he will have to set aside his personal agenda, as all the people that have been selected and have sworn to work for Obama, and work for and follow the Obama presidency script.
I believe Tom Vilsack's views are extremely important. As President, Obama has a multitude of serious issues to deal with on a day to day basis. When enacting Obama's chosen agenda, Vilsack might need to set aside his personal views and "do as he is told". But there is a policy making process that is just as important as the implementation. During this process I assume that as Secretary of Agriculture, Vilsack will be looked at to provide knowledge, experience and guidance, thus making his personal outlook of great importance.
ReplyDeleteJust to play devil's advocate, Tom Vilsack was governor of Iowa, thus, in his capacity as governor he was trying to help out his local economy. Meaning his support for alternative fuels based on corn and soy is not that suspect. In the larger scheme of things, we realize it is not as great of an option as we once thought, but Tom may not have known that when he was supporting it.
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