KIND LIKES VILSACK FOR AG SECRETARY
Thursday, December 18th, 2008 -- 8:34 AM
Barack Obama's pick for Secretary of Agriculture pleases a U.S. Representative from our area.In fact, La Crosse Democrat Ron Kind specifically advocated for former Iowa governor Tom Vilsack, during a meeting with the president-elect. Kind believes Vilsack will be well positioned to tackle the issue of ag subsidy payments to millionaires which he and Janesville Republican Paul Ryan have fought against.
"Go back to his statements as a candidate for President, he was one of the candidates in the field that was really taking on these farm subsidy programs head-on," Kind says.
Kind notes Obama has seen a recent G-A-O report that showed more than two-thousand farmers with annual incomes of over two and a half million dollars have received federal farm subsides.
"The chances of Gov. Vilsack working with Pres. Obama and the Congress are very good to tighten up these payment limitation caps to make sure multi-millionaires aren't receiving these taxpayer subsidies, which is ridiculous," Kind says.
Kind notes Vilsack has also been a strong advocate for cellulosic ethanol, and adequate funding for conservation programs.
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