Washington Update of the Week:
Who Will Be the Next Secretary of Agriculture?

It’s one of the most powerful positions in DC. The Secretary of Agriculture oversees the safety of the U.S. food supply, domestic farming policies, food stamp programs, and the nation’s 297,000 square miles of forest. Obama was initially considering the pro-biotech Iowa governor Tom Vilsack for the position, but then thousands of organic consumers raised their voices in response to an OCA alert that apparently stopped that plan in its tracks (Learn more).
 
According to press reports, Obama is now considering Rep. Collin Peterson (D-Minn.) to head the USDA. Peterson, like Vilsack, is a strong biotech supporter, head of the House Agriculture Committee, and a man who categorized organic consumers as “dumb” last year. Organic Bytes readers sent Peterson several thousand irate letters in response to his putdown of organic food and farming. You can read some of these letters here.
 
Last week OCA delivered a petition with 10,000 signatures to Obama’s Transition Team in Washington, asking him to take a strong stand in support of organic food and farming and to move beyond “business as usual” by appointing visionaries like Michael Pollan to top USDA positions. We also posted on our website a list of other progressive candidates for high-level USDA positions, including Jim Riddle, a national organic farmer leader, Texas populist Jim Hightower, Tom Buis from the National Farmers Union, and Minnesota Secretary of State Mark Ritchie. You can read the profiles of some of these possible USDA appointees here.
 
The Obama Transition Team has set-up an innovative website to facilitate public input for policy initiatives in the new Obama Administration. Please take the time to share your insights and opinions: http://change.gov/